Unconditional
by idealskeptic
Summary: Four years after Breaking Dawn, and after Alice has been killed by the Volturi, Jasper moves to a new town all on his own. It's the same town that Angela, the Forks' minister's daughter who got drunk & got pregnant when she graduated from college, chooses to start over in. Alone and on their own by choice, they know everything about each other and couldn't care less. Canon-y, but A
1. The Kindness of Strangers

**Disclaimer: **All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's Note: **This story takes places about four years after _Breaking Dawn_. What you need to know is that some of Alice's vision in BD2 happened, details to come, and that leads Jasper to a place where he finds Angela (because I love Jasper and Angela almost as much as Jasper and Alice, and she's really hard to write… so I write Angela). Jasper and the Cullens are vampires and Angela is a human. I bet you want to see what happens, don't you?

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**Chapter One**

**The Kindness of Strangers**

…_Angela…_

I checked my email before I left for work. It was a stupid, stupid thing to do.

_Angela, thank you for the email you sent us. We're so relieved that you're doing well. We worry about you so much living by yourself in Colville. We wish you would come home._

_Have you found the baby's father? Please tell me that you're looking for him. He needs to know his child, and the two of you need to be a family for your child. Unless, of course, you've decided to give the baby up for adoption; if you have, your father knows a childless couple in Tacoma that would happily and lovingly adopt the baby._

_Let us know what you decide._

_We do love you, Angela._

What my mother really said in her email, in a nutshell, was this: come home engaged and/or married or don't come home with baby. To her and my minister father, I was a disappointment and an embarrassment because, at twenty-one, I wound up pregnant and I didn't know the father's name. I was basically forbidden from coming back to Forks until I came back with a husband and a baby or all by myself. Sometimes I wondered what they were telling people about where I was, why I'd only come home for six weeks after I graduated from UW and then disappeared again. Most times, I was pretty sure I didn't want to know the answer.

I replied to her email, though, with the only thing I had to say to her.

_I can send some books to Isaac and Joshua, right? And still talk to them? I miss them._

I clicked on 'send' before I could second guess myself and write a longer, more pleading email. Then, with fifteen minutes still to spare before I needed to leave for work, I scanned through the rest of my email inbox. I ignored Jessica's email, knowing it would be full of things meant well but really so trivial in my new outlook on life, and looked to see what else there was. The local grocery store sent me coupons and I had an offer for penis enlargement pills, but that was it. Not even a Nigerian prince offering to wipe away all my worries if only I'll accept thousands of dollars from him.

I rubbed my hand over the gentle swelling of my stomach and checked one final website. _What To Expect When You're Expecting _informed me helpfully that, as I was seventeen weeks pregnant, my baby was now the size of my palm, weighed about five ounces, and had started sucking and swallowing.

No couple in Tacoma was going to raise my baby. I may not have meant to get pregnant when I got drunk at the Alpha Delta Pi graduation party Jessica dragged me to, but I did. Some people might see it as a mistake, might even think I was punishing myself for the 'mistake' by keeping the baby and alienating myself from my family, but I don't see it that way. I see it as fate and it's my life philosophy to accept fate in whatever form it comes.

Dropping some flakes of fish food into the round glass bowl and telling OJ the goldfish to behave himself, I grabbed my jacket and set off for work.

The walk to the restaurant slash antique shop took only ten minutes. I could have driven, but it was good exercise on a warm, overcast mid-September day. The restaurant was tiny, so I was surprised to see three staff people already there; Nate in the kitchen, Bev behind the register, and Christa already waiting tables.

"It's Wednesday," I said to Christa as I held a tray for her, "why's everybody here? Are we expecting a tour bus of elderly people for lunch?"

She gave the red-headed logger at the table her most seductive smile as she handed him his soup and turned to me, taking the tray back. "You'd think, but no. Bev's only here because she's training somebody new to work mostly with the antiques." She walked beside me into the back room where I hung up my jacket and put my apron on. "Maybe she's getting ready for your maternity leave already. Cute bump today, by the way."

"I fixed it up just for you," I said dryly.

She laughed and gave me a half hug. "We'll have to get you a bigger apron when your get a real baby bump," she teased. "Seriously, though, when's your next appointment? I said I'll come with you and I am, so don't give me an out."

"Two weeks from today. I might get to find out if it's a girl or a boy," I said, thankful I'd accidentally moved into an apartment next door to the bubbly but incredibly sweet Christa Lawson.

She squealed excitedly and gave me a real hug. "I'm so excited! I'll make sure I don't have to work," she vowed, suddenly solemn before she smiled again. "For now, though, we do have to work. It sucks."

"It's not so bad," I said, following her back into the restaurant. "You get to flirt with sexy loggers and you don't have a baby bump to scare them away with."

"Excellent point, my dear." She winked and headed back to the red-headed logger.

I shook my head and grabbed my order pad, heading for a table of little old ladies who came in every Wednesday afternoon for a very long lunch. They noticed the bulge in my apron, of course, and asked me a thousand and one questions about morning sickness, if it was a girl or a boy, and when the baby was due – late February was getting closer every day. They'd asked me the same questions for the last few weeks but I didn't mind answering. It was nice that someone cared, even strangers.

"We hope you don't mind," one of the woman said, "but we want to makes some blankets and things for you and for the baby. Could we?"

My emotions getting the best of me, I sniffled, trying desperately not to cry as I stood there. "You don't have to do that," I forced myself to say, no doubt sounding as stupid to them as I did to myself.

"We know we don't have to, Angela," she said, "but we want to. So unless you've got all the blankets and things you need, may we work on things for you?"

I gave up on trying not to cry and let the tears slide down my cheeks as I nodded. "Yes, of course. Thank you."

The two women sitting on the outside of the booth rubbed my arms and smiled. "Don't thank us until you see if you like it," the oldest of the four told me. "And make sure you let us know if you find out if it's a girl or a boy so we can make things just for the right baby."

I smiled and wiped the back of my hand across my eyes. "I will. I'll probably be able to find out at my next appointment."

"You let us know if you need anything, Angela," she continued. "Anything at all. We know you're all on your own here in Colville; we don't have much family or much to do so we're here if you need us."

I thanked them again and went to give their orders to Nate.

Christa's eagle eyes found my wet ones easily and she nodded toward the backroom, silently telling me she'd cover while I gathered my emotions and got hold of myself. Having read my mother's email and having had four strangers wanting to take care of me, it took me a long time to look like a normal, not overly emotional waitress again. But I did it.

I didn't pay any attention to the antique part of the store until Bev called me over when there was a lull in the already sparse lunch crowd. "I want you to meet the new guy," she whispered in my ear, for reasons I didn't yet understand, "because I don't want him to quit because he thinks only Christa works here. You know what I mean?"

I did. For how lovely she was, Christa took some getting used to. I nodded and followed my boss to the storage area where she'd left the new guy.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

I wasn't exactly sure why the manager of the store/restaurant stashed me in a storage room while she went to get the waitress I hadn't met, but humans are strange creatures so I didn't ask or think much of it. I simply examined a cluttered shelf of piggy banks instead.

"Jasper?" the manager, Bev, said as she stepped back into the room. "This is my other waitress, Angela. Angela, this is Jasper, my new hire."

I should have done my homework better. I should have been able to find out that someone from Forks, someone who knew me, had ended up in an only slightly larger small town on the other side of Washington. But I didn't. And that's how I ended up standing face to face with Angela Weber, and given the look of shock on her face, definitely remembered me.

"How are you?" I asked to save her from the awkward silence.

"You two know each other?" Bev asked before Angela could answer.

But she answered that question. "Remember I said I'm from Forks? Jasper was in high school with me there."

"Oh, fantastic," Bev said. "It's fate, then. Anyway, Jasper, Angela is my go-to girl on things antique so I'll let her finish showing you around and explaining what she's trying to do with the website while I go take over her tables. Have fun catching up, you two."

Of all the humans who'd attended Forks High School, it was Angela Weber that I'd talked to the most but it probably wasn't enough to warrant us 'catching up.' On the other hand, of all the humans who'd attended Forks High School, I was relieved that it was her I found a few years later. I liked what I'd seen and experienced of Colville so far and I didn't want to leave. The chances of me having to leave because she poked her nose around and asked a lot of questions were, to be honest, extremely slim. This could work.

"I'm kind of crappy," Angela said when we were alone, answering my first question. "How are you?"

"Kind of crappy works," I agreed. "So you're making a website?"

"Trying to make a website," she corrected me, giving a weary sigh. "Bev's decided that she doesn't sell enough in the store so she wants to have an online business connected to the website for the restaurant. Kind of a tourist trap thing, but online, I suppose. I don't know that much about making websites and I know nothing about online business, so I've been taking a lot of pictures of what she has and researching what she should ask for them."

"I can help with the website and business side of things, and research. I told Bev that too. Show me what you have so far?"

She seemed relieved to be asked to get on with things, and led me to a computer.

We spent the next few hours looking over things. Angela didn't know who'd created the original website for Bev and that was a big part of the reason she couldn't do more with it. The site needed work and I was happy to realize that I'd be able to spend a good bit of time, at least at first, working on that rather than serving food to humans.

The dinner rush came, though, and I had to help. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, in part because the noxious smell of human food cooking so close covered up the appeal of the blood that flowed through everyone but me. Thankfully, I mostly just followed Angela and Christa around, carrying the trays while they served the customers and made small talk. As people finished their meals, I was handed a tray and asked to start clearing the tables.

"How was your first day?" Bev asked when only two customers remained and it was clear they knew the owner and might be staying awhile. "Not quitting already on me, are you?"

I glanced at Angela, trying to gauge how she felt about my presence, and sensed only a tiny bit of curiosity in her emotions, buried beneath a lot of worry and stress. "No, not quitting," I assured Bev. "I'll be back tomorrow. Eleven, right?"

"Yep, eleven," she said. "There's no real uniform or anything specific thing you have to wear as long as you wear one of the maroon aprons. You have my cell phone number if you need anything."

I walked to the parking lot with Angela and Christa, and they told me that they were neighbors in an apartment building on Oak Street and walked to work in good weather. Given that it was raining, I offered them a ride in my car, telling them that I lived twenty minutes outside the town and had to drive every day. They accepted, and Angela and I listened to Christa talk about the boring town she'd lived in all her life until I dropped them off.

I wasn't surprised to find Emmett at the house I was renting close to the edges of Colville National Forest when I got home.

"You got a job at a restaurant?" he said as a greeting, having made himself at home on my couch.

"Oh look, Emmett can read the text messages I send him," I gasped, dropping my jacket on a chair. "Since you're here, want to hunt?"

He got to his feet and grinned. "Sure, I'm game for some game. What's on the menu around here?"

"Cervidae."

He wrinkled his nose. "I can have deer, elk, and moose at home, jackass. Also, no need to play up your intelligence around me, I know Cervidae is the Latin name for the family."

I shrugged and darted out the back door, leading the way into the woods. "They've had problems with bears being trapped here, Em," I explained as we ran, "so you can't kill any. Besides, they're fat and lazy before hibernation, not your type at all."

"Fair enough," he agreed. "Don't you want to know why I showed up all of a sudden?"

"You're checking up on me," I explained for him. "I kicked Rosalie out over the weekend so she sent you this time. Not rocket science, Emmett. Edward and Bella aren't coming next, are they?"

"No idea. And Rose didn't 'send' me," he protested weakly. "I asked if she thought you were doing alright by yourself and she said she didn't know, because you haven't answered her calls since she left, but that if I really wanted to know, I should come find out for myself. So I did. You doing alright?"

"It's strange," I admitted, "because I haven't been alone in so long, but it's okay. I feel like I can breathe a little better, you know?"

Emmett shrugged as we slowed to a walk. "Hey, I'm surprised that you stayed as long as you did. Not that I don't think you think you're part of the family," he said, holding up his hands as I almost said just that, "but that you lost your mate and your 'parents' died trying to save her, I don't know if I could have stayed around."

"You would have, just like I did," I said. "I wasn't going to leave while all of you were still in danger. That's why I haven't gone further now. You're my family and I'll protect you however I can."

"Good enough, man." He leaned against the trunk of a dead tree and sighed. "We miss you, of course. Me and Rose, especially, but we're proud of you for being strong and doing this."

I nodded once and exhaled. "You done with the sappiness? It's creeping me out."

He laughed hard and took off after a small herd of deer.

We didn't talk again until we finished hunting, and then he stayed away from the sappy stuff. "So what's working in a restaurant like? The human food must be worse than high school cafeterias."

"There's an antique shop attached to the restaurant, I'm going to try and stay there. But yeah, the food is bad. Covers the scent of blood, though, so there's that." I waited until he grunted in agreement before I brought up the most perplexing part of my new job. "Do you remember the guy who married Edward and Bella? And his daughter, Angela?"

He nodded and waited expectedly for me to elaborate.

"She works at the same place I got a job."

Emmett, to his credit, didn't panic like someone else might have and I was glad I'd told him first. "She recognized you?"

"Mm-hmm. She told the boss that we went to high school together. I was alone with her for a while and she didn't ask any questions. She never really struck me as that type of person, but I gave her every opportunity I could."

"Yeah, she was the one that was friends with Alice after that whole Italy thing, right?" He nodded thoughtfully and looked at me intently. "I liked her. But do you want to stay? Do you think she'll cause problems? Or are you just worried that she will ask about Alice?"

"I want to stay, I don't think she'll cause problems, but I am worried about the Alice issue." It felt good to blurt it out to him.

"Tell her what we told people in Forks, that they died in a car accident in Alaska. If she talks to her parents, that's what she'll know anyway. She might already know, remember?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good point. I hadn't thought of that."

"It's what I'm here for," he said lazily. "Anyway, sounds like you're staying?"

I nodded. "I want to."

"Then do it. I'll be here in the blink of an eye if you need me. All you gotta do is ask."

He offered me his hand, but I gave him a hug. "I know, Em, thanks. And tell Rosalie I'm sorry and that I'll never, ever, ever ignore her calls again?"

He held up his hands and backed away. "Uh-uh, no way. You set that bridge on fire, you put it out."

I sighed in defeat and turned in the direction of Forks. "Fine, I'll come home tonight, beg forgiveness, and be back for work in the morning."

Forks was still home, but Colville was where I needed to be.

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**Well, did you like it? **I hope so. If you did like it, _please do leave a review_! If you didn't like it, thanks for trying and happy hunting for your next favorite fic.

I don't have, nor have I ever, had kids so I'm relying on my trusty, lovely beta **Emma Lee Rose **to keep me honest on the pregnancy stuff. After all, I'm only as good as what I read online otherwise. Props to **TheLyricalCutie **for being my pre-reader/cheerleader/fic writing buddy. And extra special thanks to **TwistedInMasen **for taking my bland, vague description of this story and creating an amazing banner (which is on my blog, linked on my profile) and cover for the story (look at the top of this page!).


	2. Collector of Lost Souls

**Don't own it.**

I am _so freakin' happy _that you all seemed to like the start of this story so much! Seriously touched by all the sweet words you sent me so… _thank you_! And please, if you feel so inclined, leave me some more!

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**Chapter Two**

**Collector of Lost Souls**

…_Angela…_

Two weeks later and not that much had changed.

I was allowed to Skype, email, and snail mail my brothers but my parents still wanted me to identify the baby's father and/or give custody to the couple in Tacoma.

My baby had started kicking, or at least that's what Bev and the ladies, who'd taken to calling themselves my grandmothers, assured me when I completely panicked at work, and it only strengthened my resolve to be a mother to this baby.

I had spent a lot of time with Jasper Hale, working on the website for Bev and never really talking about Forks at all. I was curious about Alice and his family, of course, and I'm sure he didn't miss my changing shape or the fact that I went home to an empty apartment when he drove me on days that turned rainy but we never talked about it. His family wasn't my business unless he wanted to tell me and my family, or lack thereof, wasn't his business unless I wanted to tell him.

I kind of did.

But I wasn't sure why, other than desperation and loneliness, so I didn't say anything at all.

I gave OJ his flakes of food and left my apartment, waiting in the hallway for Christa.

"Morning, sweets," she said, emerging with a half-eaten bagel covered in cream cheese in her hand. "Ready to find out if you're having a boy or a girl?"

"No. And yes." I sighed as we started down the one flight of stairs to the ground floor. "I'm doing the right thing, aren't I?"

"I think so." She held the door open for me and following me into the chilly morning air. "But I think you're the only one who can decide that for yourself. I think it's awesome, and more importantly, ridiculously brave that you're doing this all on your own. I think it'd be equally awesome and brave if you decided to put the baby up for adoption, even if you don't go back to your parents.

"Most importantly, I'll be right here whatever you decide and however you get to that decision."

I hugged her as we got to her car; she'd offered to drive to my appointment. "Where've you been all my life, Christa?"

"Waiting to appear just when you needed me," she declared around the final mouthful of bagel.

The drive to the doctor's office was short and the wait in the waiting room was long. The ultrasound tech told me everything looked fine and asked me if I was ready to know if I was having a boy or a girl.

I'd practiced my answer a lot. I had to. I had to know what I was doing first. I had to bond myself completely to my baby or cut the bonds before I knew.

"Yeah," I said, exhaling shakily when Christa squeezed my hand and grinned, "I want to know."

She smiled and turned the screen so I could see it. "It's a girl," she said, going on to show me how she could tell.

She left a few minutes later, having handed Christa the pictures while I waited for the doctor to come and talk to me. "I'm having a daughter," I said from slowly. My head was spinning at the words that I'd just said. I'd made my decision and it felt so good.

"You okay there?" Christa asked worriedly, and I could see she was ready to come for me.

"Yeah," I said, tears in my eyes again as my hand fluttered over my bump, "I'm really, really good."

"Excellent," she said. "I'll take you for breakfast before work. I'll even treat you and my little pseudo-niece."

We pigged out giddily on pastries and donuts at the café closest to the doctor's office before work, where my four pseudo-grandmothers, Bev, and Nate seemed to be waiting eagerly, while trying not to look eager.

"It's a girl," I announced, unable to stop the smile from spreading across my face. "I'm keeping her."

By the time they finished hugging me, congratulating me, and deciding who could do what for me, Jasper had arrived at work. On impulse, I ducked out of the group and went over to him. "You have a smartphone, right?" I asked, finishing my question when he nodded. "Could I use it to send an email before I chicken out and don't send it later?"

He handed it to me without question and walked away to get his apron.

I felt strangely confident as I tapped out a message to my father, who I hadn't heard from much at all.

_You're having a granddaughter, whether you want her or not. I don't know who her father is, but I know who her mother is … me._

_I love you, Dad._

"Since I'm here," Bev said, making me jump when she tapped my shoulder, "I'll wait tables. Can you and Jasper catalog the boxes of antiques my sister-in-law sent from her store in Ohio?"

"Yeah, sure." As I walked away, I heard one of my grandmothers tell Bev that any tip they left on their table was not meant for her, it was meant for me. She agreed before I could protest.

Jasper was already opening the boxes when I got to the storage room. "Here's your phone, thank you," I said. "I think I closed the email program right."

He dropped it in the pocket of his jacket and went back to the boxes. "Everything alright?"

"Actually, yes," I said. "I didn't think it was, but suddenly, it is."

"It's nice when that happens, isn't it?"

I hummed my agreement and turned to the boxes. We spent half our shifts working together on the antiques and then in the restaurant during the dinner rush. We might not have had to if a busload of tourists heading for Vancouver hadn't decided to stop. We were swamped until an hour and a half after closing time.

Knowing that Bev had kids waiting for her at home, we told her to leave. Christa went to help Nate in the kitchen and Jasper and I cleaned up the dining room. By the time we were done, I was exhausted and my back hurt.

"Did you want to check your email?" Jasper asked, watching me as I twisted to try and stretch the cramp out of my back. "I meant to offer earlier."

"Thanks, but I can check on my computer at home. If I can stay awake that long," I added, covering a yawn with my hand.

"You're not walking, are you?"

"Nope," Christa said, appearing suddenly at my side. "I'm the chauffeur for the day."

"Don't worry everyone, I'm going to start driving myself more often so you all don't have to take care of me so much," I promised, saying goodbye to Nate and Jasper as Christa dragged me outside.

"So, since the baby stuff is settled, I have to ask," she said as she pulled into the road, "does Jasper have a girlfriend?"

"He did, but he hasn't mentioned her to me," I answered, surprised it'd taken her two weeks to ask the question at all. "Maybe they broke up. But don't bug him and ask him out, okay? I hope they didn't break up, because they loved each other very much. Any idiot could see that. You aren't anything like she was, so there's that too."

"Okay, okay," she agreed. "I'll let him come to me. Or, better yet, you… since I like Nate. Fair enough?"

It was the best I knew I'd get out of her, so I took it. We were at our apartment building by then anyway, so the sounds of my bed calling to me far outweighed interest in anyone's love life.

On the way to my bed, I stopped at my computer. I was nervous when I saw an email from my father, but I clicked on it anyway.

_I'm proud of you, Angela, for being strong and brave about all of this. I know the way things are right now isn't the best for any of us and that makes me believe, makes me know, that things will get better for all of us. We just have to give it time._

_Do you need anything? Money for rent? Car stuff? Groceries? Money for doctor appointments?_

_I love you, Angela._

I didn't answer him then but when I went to sleep, my happiness had some hope mixed it.

…_Jasper…_

I felt sort of stupid that Rosalie had to text me a reminder to show my face at the grocery store or people in Colville might think I was a crazy mountain man living off the land who oddly had a job or, "you know, a vampire." Instead of dwelling on my lapse, I went to the grocery store before work on Thursday.

I could count on one hand the number of times I've been to a grocery store by myself so I hoped there was someone I could sort of follow around, since Rosalie had failed to include a list of what I should buy.

As luck would have it, Angela was there and waved when she saw me come in.

"All recovered from yesterday?" I asked, stopping my cart next to hers.

"Yes, thank you." She stared at a display of Granny Smith apples and sighed. "I suppose I should fill you in on what everyone else at Bev's already knows."

"Only if you want to," I interrupted.

She nodded resolutely. "I do, but not at the grocery store. Have you had breakfast yet?"

I hadn't, and I really didn't want to, but I shook my head anyway. "No. Breakfast then groceries?"

She smiled and nodded, leading the way to put her cart back.

We walked to the café together and I ordered a bottle of water and a ham and egg bagel sandwich. I vaguely remembered liking ham and eggs when I was human and because I'd eaten one before and the after effects weren't too bad for a vampire. Once Angela had her tea and ham and egg white English muffin, we found a table in the back corner of the café.

"So," she said, blowing on her tea, "I'm pregnant, as you can probably tell."

I took a bite of my bagel and nodded. "A little, yeah. Congratulations."

She grimaced, and then smiled. "Thank you. In a nutshell, Ben Cheney and I broke up in our first year at UW, but we're still friends. I didn't really date that much for the rest of college, but Jessica Stanley," she paused to laugh when I grimaced at the name, "dragged me to a sorority graduation party and I got drunk and had sex with someone. I don't know his name. He left me a note, though, that said 'call me' but he forgot to write down the last three digits of his number."

"Classy guy," I commented dryly, wishing my meal tasted better.

"It's half my fault," she pointed out. "Anyway, you know my father's a minister and being knocked up with no idea who the daddy is counts as a no-no so I've basically been shunned and banned from Forks. In a fit, I drove west and saw a Help Wanted sign at Bev's. And that brings me to today."

"That's quite a story."

"All true," she said, winking at me.

"Never pegged you for a liar," I countered. It was time to tell her some version of the truth, that much was clear. So I went with my gut and did it. "Now it's my turn to share?"

"Only if you want to," she said, repeating me exactly.

"I do." I could feel her nerves, shyness, and curiosity warring and I carefully kept my own emotions in check so that I could properly read her. "I'll apologize first."

"What for?" She toyed with the tag on her tea bag and didn't meet my eyes.

"I know you and Alice were emailing each other for a little while after graduation and then she suddenly stopped. That's what I'm apologizing for; that I knew you expected to hear from her and I didn't let you know what happened."

The little white string on tea bag was tied so tightly around her slender fingers that she was cutting off the circulation. I could feel her concern, not so much fear. "What happened, Jasper?"

I took a deep breath and answered her. "Alice, and Carlisle and Esme, were killed in a car accident in Alaska in December 2006." There were honest tears in her eyes, the human girl in front of me was crying for vampires. It was very strange. "Bella's father knows what happened, of course."

"I'm so sorry, Jasper," she murmured. "I'm so sorry."

The lie was getting easier to tell and the truth was getting easier to bear. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. Anyway, I stayed with Rosalie and Emmett for a while, but then it was time to get back to living so I got out a map and found Colville – not too far from where they are but not too close either."

"So Colville is basically the collector of lost souls, when it comes to the two of us," she said thoughtfully. "I wonder if it's that for anyone else."

"Not Christa?" I asked.

"Born here," she replied. "Bev and Nate too. I don't think there are many 'newcomers' to Colville. It might be worse than Forks."

"Good thing I'm out of high school then," I said, surprising myself when I laughed. "Forks was bad enough, don't you think?"

"We were quick to start just ignoring you," she said defensively, laughing along with me. "It wasn't until Bella came and started dating Edward that your family really got the gossip mill going, so blame her."

"I do, and I will," I said with mock solemnity that made her laugh.

We'd moved far enough beyond the hard parts of the conversation that Angela went back to eating her sandwich, and I followed suit. "How are Bella and Edward?" she asked.

"Good. They adopted Edward's niece he hadn't known existed until her parents died." I stalled by chewing while I tried to think of how old to describe my niece. "She just turned ten. They live in Vancouver now."

"Is she their only child?"

"Yeah, Bella can't have children of her own, so it's just the two of them and Nessie."

We finished our breakfast talking about what she'd studied at UW, art and photography, and what I was pretending to have studied at the University of Alaska – although I told her I hadn't graduated because of Alice's death. We then moved on to the grocery store after splitting the bill.

Aside from a few perishable things I knew wouldn't last until I could donate them and a few things it seemed were aimed at young men, I bought pretty much the same things she did, so long as they wouldn't go bad.

"You don't need milk or anything like that?" she asked curiously when we were in the checkout line.

"Got that at the gas station last night," I lied smoothly. "Besides, almost nothing here will go bad so I don't have to drive all the way home and then come back for work."

She tapped a finger against her temple. "Good plan, that one," she grinned. "I'm impressed."

I winked and helped her unpack her cart.

With the shopping done, she went to her apartment and I drove to the restaurant and checked my messages while I waited for Bev to arrive and open up for the day. Just as I expected, I had an email from Emmett.

'_Sup?_

_Rose says to ask if you went grocery shopping and to tell you that she didn't send you a list of what to buy because if you're able to live on your own, you're able to figure out what to fake at the store. So… consider yourself asked and told. No more messages through me, from either of you! That's an order!_

_I dropped not so subtle hints to Edward about his visit to you last week, trying to see if you mentioned Angela, but even when I came right out and thought the question, he didn't give. So either you didn't, Bella was blocking him, or he was being the general pain in the ass that he likes to be. Which is it?_

_Anyway, want to go for a good hunt in Glacier National Park this weekend? I'll bring Rose and you two can argue like the twins you really should be … all loving but not wanting to show it and crap. Or I could leave her home. The others are going fishing with Charlie and the Clearwaters in B.C._

_Don't be a stranger, or I'll send Rosalie after you!_

I said yes to the hunt, and Rosalie's presence, and told him that I had talked to Edward about Angela so it was just a case of Edward screwing with him, as usual. Then I confessed to having let Angela in on our story about what happened.

After sending that, I texted my 'twin'.

_You really miss me, don't you? Yes, I grocery shopped. And ate a ham and egg bagel. Fun. See you this weekend, sis._

And then I went about my human life.

* * *

**Much gratitude to **_Emma Lee Rose _for catching me on the things I goofed on, _TheLyricalCutie _for the cheerleading, and _TwistedInMasen _for the uber lovely banner.


	3. I Just Hate Vampires

**Don't own it.**

You're still here! *hugs you all*

Hmm, I bet there aren't any sanguivoriphobics among us…

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**I Just Hate Vampires**

…_Angela…_

"Come on, it'll be cute," Christa begged, holding the package in front of my nose.

"No," I said for the sixth time. "I am not going to be a pregnant nun for Halloween. Just, no."

"It'll be cute," she repeated, that being her best argument for why I should choose that costume.

I glared at her and walked down the aisle to the witch costumes. I was beginning to seriously regret having let Bev and Christa talk me into dressing up on Halloween to help serve food from the restaurant at Colville's annual Halloween festival. It was a stupid thing to pray for, but I really wanted to be sick that day.

"Think about it, Christa," I heard Jasper say – he and Nate had come costume shopping with us, "she's pregnant and her father is a minister. Don't you think a pregnant nun might be kind of distasteful?"

"He's not a _Catholic_ priest," she protested.

"I don't think that matters much," Nate pointed out, surprising me because he had a huge crush on Christa and probably would have agreed if she said the sky was a vivid neon green color.

I pretended to be very interested in a particular witch costume when I heard Christa sigh before her heels rang out on the linoleum floor as she walked toward me.

"I'm sorry, Ang," she said solemnly. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's okay," I said, turning to face her. "For that reason, and for a lot of others, I'm just not being a pregnant nun. Besides, my bump isn't big enough for it to look right under that costume."

Christa grinned, happy to be forgiven and teased in the same breath. "Excellent point, Ang. But do you have to be a witch? That's so cliché. Oooh, we should go as couples!" she squawked excitedly. "Me and Nate as one pair and you and Jasper as another, what do you think?"

"As long as I don't end up looking like an idiot," Nate said, "it's fine by me."

"It's Halloween," Jasper pointed out, "isn't looking like an idiot kind of the point?"

We all agreed that it was and set about finding matching costumes. It didn't take Christa long to decide that she and Nate would go as Cleopatra, the sexiest one she could find, and Marc Antony. Then she started randomly pulling things off shelves and offering them to us. "What about Dracula and his bride?" she demanded, holding up the classic high collared black cape for a man and a very revealing dress for a woman.

"No," Jasper said before I could be the one to turn that idea down, like I had most of the others. When I looked at him in surprise, he laughed. "Sorry. I just hate vampires. Sanguivoriphobia."

"Wait, is that a real word?" Christa said, blinking at him in disbelief. "There's an actual fear of vampires?"

"I don't know if anyone's ever been diagnosed with it," he said, "but that literally means the fear of blood drinkers, i.e. vampires."

"Makes sense to me," Nate declared, effectively heading Christa off before we ended up having an in-depth discussion of vampires in the middle of the store. "So no to Dracula, what's next?"

I went on the offensive and pushed Christa aside to sort through the racks. I pulled off a set of costumes and held them up for Jasper's inspection.

"Zombie bride and groom?" he said with a grin as he looked them over. "I'm in."

"Pregnant zombie bride and groom," I corrected, fully embracing the awesomeness of my potential costume.

"Even better," Jasper agreed with a wink. "What do you think, Christa?"

"Well, if you won't do pregnant nun and priest or Dracula and his bride," she hedged before giving in, "this is a perfect choice. Very unlike you, Angela, but I love it."

With that settled and the costumes bought, we left the store. We'd driven to Spokane on a Monday to look for costumes, because Bev's store was never open on Mondays, and because we were all a little bored in Colville and needed something to do. No one wanted to suggest anything, though, not until my stomach growled loudly.

I winced as they all stared at me. "What? It's lunchtime," I said in my own defense. "Aren't the rest of you hungry?"

"Starved," Nate declared. "It'll be nice to eat at a restaurant and not have to cook."

We settled on an Italian restaurant in the same shopping complex as the costume store.

I grabbed Christa's elbow as the guys walked behind us and leaned close to her ear. "I know Nate won't say anything," I whispered, "but I don't want you to mention it either; Jasper's family all had really weird diets in Forks so he probably won't eat much of anything. Don't ask him about it, okay?"

"I'm not rude, Ang," she protested, but still promised not to say anything.

My prediction proved true when Jasper only ate a few breadsticks and drank water while the rest of us pretty much pigged out on the all-you-can-eat pasta buffet. Christa and Nate did most of the talking during lunch, guiding the conversation and being very conscientious about including me and Jasper. After we finished, Christa announced that she wasn't ready to go back to Colville yet and asked if anyone wanted to go miniature golfing or to see a movie.

The sky was completely cloud covered but it was warm and dry, so I decided that we should golf because there was a movie theater in Colville and sitting in a dark room in front of screens should be reserved for rainy days when there isn't any other option. That's what I'd learned from a childhood in Forks.

"You came in your own car," I pointed out to Jasper as we waited while Christa debated whether to play the course with a pink ball or a purple one, "you don't have to stick around all day." I felt a tiny bit bad about saying so, but I knew from experience that the Cullens didn't really like to do things that everyone else did. I wanted to give him an out, especially since he'd met us in his car because he'd been in Forks and it would have been a very long day for him.

"I don't mind," he said. "I haven't played miniature golf in a really long time. Besides, you're all pretty good company."

I laughed when he winked. "Okay, then. I'll consider that a compliment," I said, reaching around Christa and snatching a purple ball so she had to play with pink.

"You should," he replied teasingly.

"Let's play on teams," Nate suggested, taking a blue ball and handing Jasper a green one. "Me and Christa versus you and Angela, whoever loses pays the next time we do something together."

"Deal," Jasper agreed. "I hope you brought money because I'm sure Angela and I will be able to think of something to do before we head back to Colville."

Because of Jasper's boast, we let them go first and I took the chance to lean close to Jasper. "Just so you know, I'm really not very good at miniature golf," I whispered. "I really hope you are or Christa will never let me hear the end of it."

"We're going to win," he whispered back confidently. "Don't worry."

The score stayed close until we got to the seventeenth hole. I really hoped Jasper was true to his word because I was tired and my golfing skills were not helped by the change in my balance from being pregnant. Christa accidentally sabotaged her own team first, though, when she bent over to fix the way her leggings were bunching around her ankles right in front of Nate just as he tried to come in a stroke under par. He ended up two over par.

I didn't even try to contain my laughter at the way he spluttered when she yelled at him.

Jasper got a hole in one on the final hole, wrapping up our win nicely. He ignored Christa's protests and demands for a do-over on hole seventeen and asked me what I wanted them to pay for. "Ice cream?" he guessed when I didn't answer, even though that is exactly what I wanted but didn't want to say.

"Ice cream," I repeated happily.

He didn't eat any ice cream, of course, but sat and braided colorful straws together in some sort of intricate design instead. Christa and Nate started talking about going to a movie too, but I didn't know how to ask if we really had to, since they were, after all, my ride home.

Jasper came to my rescue, as it were, and begged out of the movies too. "I left Forks early, I'd just end up sleeping through a movie," he explained. "Want to ride home with me, Angela?"

"Yes, please," I replied, much too eagerly. Christa and Nate seemed happy enough to have a spur of the moment date in the cards, though, so I didn't feel too bad.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"Do you mind if I open my window a little?" I asked as Angela settled into the passenger seat of my car. "I need some fresh air, but I'll turn the heat on for you."

"No, it's fine," she said. "I'm kind of warm anyway. The fresh air will be nice."

I turned the heat on a little anyway, remembering Edward's rambling stories when he was dating Bella about how humans needed warmth, especially if a window was open. "You can turn on the radio, if you want. Or go to sleep."

"Sleeping in cars makes me carsick and I'm already queasy," she said, leaning forward to turn the radio on. She surprised me when she turned on an indie channel, music you hear in coffee shops everywhere. "What? Did you expect me to turn on Justin Bieber?"

"Turn on Justin Bieber and you can walk back to Colville," I warned her. "I suppose I pegged you for a country music lover."

She wrinkled her nose and leaned back as Mumford & Sons' _Little Lion Man _played. "Ew, no. I hate songs about lying, cheating, and drinking and that's what country music is, for the most part. I like the stuff nobody's heard of. What about you? You seem like a country guy."

"Some country is good, but I like this stuff. Stuff nobody's heard of, like you said."

Silence descended for the next few minutes and Angela's breathing slowed enough that she was almost asleep. When I realized that her queasiness was close to turning into flat out carsickness, I coughed to wake her up. "Do you need to stop at the next rest stop?"

"Yes, please," she said, the shyness she felt clear to me. "If it's not too much trouble, of course."

I pulled into the rest stop near Loon Lake and parked the car. "Take your time, Angela."

She smiled gratefully and slipped out of the car.

Not wanting to sit around uselessly, I sent a text to Rosalie and asked her what can be bought along the highway that helps queasy pregnant women. To her credit, she didn't bombard me with questions about why I was on the highway with a queasy pregnant woman and just answered my question instead.

I presented the packet of crackers and can of ginger ale to Angela when she emerged from the bathroom. "My sister says this might help," I announced, a little relieved when she didn't give me a strange look.

"Thanks," she said instead. "I was going to buy those. How much do I owe you?"

"It's crackers and soda, Angela, don't worry about it." And I hoped she wouldn't.

She shrugged, not worrying a bit, and carried the crackers and soda to the car. "Do you mind if I eat this in the car?" she said, stopping suddenly.

I opened the passenger door for her and motioned her inside as an answer.

"Sorry you got dragged into the dressing up for Halloween thing," she said as I pulled back onto the highway. "I know you and your family never did things like that in Forks."

I turned the radio back on and tried to think of how to explain my family even more, and why I was different now. "I suppose it's easier to get involved in things like that when you don't have a family to go home and hide with," I admitted, saying more truth than I was used to.

"You can tell me to mind my own business," she offered, "and I'd totally understand, but do you have to work at the restaurant? Anywhere?"

"No." I exhaled deeply and glanced at her. "Did we make it that obvious that we have a lot of money?"

"A little bit, yeah," she said with a soft laugh. "Your cars didn't really fit in the parking lot and then Alice threw that graduation party at your house and that pretty much sealed the deal."

"Oops," I said sheepishly. "In my own defense, though, I didn't get my own car until after I graduated and neither did Alice. We were the good kids."

"I always kind of figured that. Anyway, why do you work if you don't have to? Especially at a place like Bev's, in a tiny town like Colville."

I gave her the only answer there was. "I'll go crazy if I don't. I need to be normal, I suppose that's the word. Working at Bev's works as well as anything and dressing up as a zombie groom for Halloween is even better, I suppose."

"Well, if you ever need anything, just ask. I'm here."

The strangest thing about what she said was that she really meant it. She wasn't offering to be there for me because it was the socially acceptable or required thing to do, she was offering because she wanted to help me if she could. "Thanks, Angela," I said quietly. "I really do appreciate that. And it works both ways, if you ever need anything, I'm here too."

She thanked me, but I knew it would take a lot for her to ask for help. I was quickly realizing that she was as independent and stubborn as I was.

I pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and parked. I opened her door and offered her my hand. "It's late, I'll walk you inside if you want."

She nodded and led me across the lot and into the building. "You're very chivalrous," she said when I held the door open for her.

"My mother and Esme taught me how to treat a lady," I said, falling into step beside her as we walked up the stairs.

"You were eight when you and your sister moved in with Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, right?" she asked as she unlocked the door.

"Mm-hmm. Our parents died in a fire so we moved in with our aunt." She'd motioned for me to come inside her apartment, so I did. "But my mother was very much into manners and politeness so I really couldn't be unchivalrous, even if I tried."

"Good, too many people aren't like that anymore," she said, dropping flakes into a fishbowl. "Of course, that probably sounds terrible coming from a girl who got knocked up at a party."

I shook my head. "Not terrible at all. In fact, if anyone has a right to demand chivalry, it's you."

She finished switching on all the lights in her small apartment and laughed. "Maybe so. Anyway, there aren't any zombies, vampires, or otherwise nefarious creatures lurking in here so I'm fine. You can go. I know you had a long day."

My day may have been long, I had been in Forks visiting Nessie and her parents, but it didn't matter to me because, of course, there was a vampire in Angela's apartment and he never got tired. I didn't say anything of course, only pretending to yawn. "Yeah, I should get some sleep. I'll see you at work tomorrow? Do you need a ride?"

"Nope," she said. "I'm going to be a big girl and drive myself tomorrow. Thanks, though."

I nodded and opened the door. "Goodnight, then, Angela."

I went home to an empty house, like I almost always did.

It didn't hurt as much as I once thought it would.

Nothing about the house, once an old hunting cabin, had anything to do with Alice. She'd never lived there. It didn't smell like her. I didn't see her on the stairs whenever I happened to glance at them. She'd have lived there with me if I asked her to, but it wasn't ours. It was mine. That made all the difference.

The place had come furnished and I didn't bother to add anything to it. I didn't spend much time there. It was mostly just an address that I used for the sake of appearances.

I knew I couldn't stay there forever, but it worked just then.

And that's all I could ask of it.

After I put away the Halloween costume, read a book, and changed my clothes, I fled the house in search of prey to hunt.

It was the one constant in my life that would never change.

I would always be thirsty.

And that was the hardest thing to deal with without Alice by my side.

But I'm doing it for her.

* * *

_**You know you wanna review so… scroll down just a teeny bit more and do it!**_

_Sanguivoriphobia _is totally a real thing! Look it up on Wikipedia, it's there! And none of us are it!

Mad thanks again to **TheLyricalCutie **(psst, everyone go read her awesome stories!), **Emma Lee Rose**, and **TwistedInMasen**.


	4. A Borrowed Lecture

**Don't own it.**

**Nervous about this chapter. I hope the ending makes sense…**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

**A Borrowed Lecture**

…_Angela…_

I woke up too early. It was still dark out. But in what was becoming annoyingly normal, I woke up queasy. I really needed to remember to keep crackers by my bed.

At least that's what I decided as I tied my robe above my bump and tried to decide whether I should head for the kitchen, to find said crackers, or for the bathroom, to throw up.

My phone lighting up and vibrating in the dark bedroom distracted me, though, because I didn't have any idea who would dare call me at five in the morning.

I was floored to see a text message from my father.

_I hope this doesn't wake you. I'm in Colville, Angela, and I'd like to see you if you're willing to see me. I'll be here until 3. If you don't reply, I'll understand. I hope you do reply. Either way, I love you._

My thumb hovered uncertainly over the keypad.

_I work the dinner shift so when do you want to meet? Where?_

I sent the message before I could chicken out, and I was queasy for a whole new reason.

It didn't take him long to answer. _I can see your apartment building from the coffee shop I'm at. Should I just come over, if you're up for company?_

I was very, very close to throwing up from nerves and pregnancy stuff, but I told him to come over and then I went and puked.

I didn't have time to get dressed before I heard a knock on the door. I ran a brush through my tangled hair, gave up on the idea of salvaging it, and pulled up the hood on my robe instead. I hadn't seen my father in four months, by his choice, so I didn't really care if he had to wait or if I looked like crap when he saw me.

I took a deep breath and pulled the door open.

We stared at each other until I stepped back and robotically motioned for him to come in.

"If you were asleep," he said in a voice not much louder than a whisper, "I'm sorry my message woke you up. I can go so you can go back to bed."

I shook my head and chewed my bottom lip. "No, I was awake. Sorry I didn't have time to get dressed." I waited for him to say something, but he didn't. I sat down on the couch and let him do whatever he wanted. "Why are you in Colville?"

"I was at a conference in Coeur d'Alene over the weekend," he said, sitting awkwardly on the edge of the only other chair in the room, "so I thought I'd stop and see you on my way back to Forks, since it's on the way."

For a minister, my father is predictably bad at lying and he hadn't improved in the four months since I'd seen him last. I knew enough about geography to know that stopping in Colville on the way from Coeur d'Alene to Forks added at least three hours to his drive, not to mention any time he spent with me.

He shrugged when I pointed that out to him.

"Mom doesn't know you're here?" I guessed, blinking back tears when he shook his head. "Why are you here, then?"

"You're my daughter, Angela," he said. "I worry about you. You never told me if you needed anything, so I had to see how you are."

"See if I'm ready to put the baby up for adoption?" When I told my parents I was pregnant, my mom had done most of the talking and I had to know where my dad really and truly stood.

To his credit, he shook his head. "No, Angela, not to see if you're ready to put the baby up for adoption. That's your decision and I respect whatever choice you make, or have made. And I'll help you however I can."

"As long as I don't come home and scandalize your congregation?"

"No, cupcake," he said, using his childhood nickname for me. "No, it's not that. You can come home. I, we… your mother and I… just don't want you to be embarrassed or feel uncomfortable."

"So you think maybe I shouldn't move back to Forks?" I pressed, needing to know all the details as each one of them hurt. "For my own good?"

He shifted uncomfortably on his chair and sighed. "You can come home, of course, but maybe you're happy here," he suggested with an unmistakable hopefulness in his voice.

I got to my feet and paced around the small living room, stopping to feed OJ along the way, just to buy myself time to think. If my mother didn't know he was seeing me, she hadn't said that I could come home. His saying that maybe I was happy couldn't have meant anything more than that he hoped I was happy enough to stay right where I was. I said all that aloud and waited for his reaction.

His silence spoke louder than any word could have.

"I don't need your money, Dad," I said, desperately fighting back tears. "I don't need it and I don't want it, not out of pity or some misguided sense of duty. If you don't want to follow through, don't start on the journey. I started this, I'll finish it."

He was crying, but so was I.

"I don't know what to say to you," he said weakly.

I shook my head and wiped my face on the sleeve of my robe. "Then don't say anything. That way you won't say something we'll both regret. Isn't that what you always used to tell me?"

He nodded and exhaled deeply as he stood up. "It is. I should go. I don't want to upset you more than I already have." He waited for me to stop him, but I didn't. He turned around and looked at me. "I do love you, Angela. I hope you'll know just how much one day."

It was a morning for acting on impulse, so I hugged him. It was awkward, but it was a hug. "I love you too, Dad. I hope you know I'm not doing this just to spite you or to rebel against how I was raised. I love my baby and I want to be her mother."

He put his hands on my shoulders and stared at me. "I'm proud of you. I know you would never do anything like that. I think, though, that you want, and maybe need to do this your way, so you should. But, Angela? If you ever do need anything, money or otherwise, promise that you'll tell me?"

I was crying again, but I nodded and hugged him once more.

He left without another word.

I was too worked up to be alone. Even OJ was hiding from me in the little castle in his bowl. Christa would be more than willing to wake up and talk to me, but she wasn't the personality that I needed. So I settled on the only other person I could think to go to – Jasper.

I didn't call him because I didn't want to wake him up. I was sort of hopeful that the drive to his house on the edge of the national forest would calm me down enough that I could chicken out of running to him for help, and just turn around and come back to my apartment.

It didn't work.

And I found myself on Jasper's doorstep, summoning all of my courage before I rang the doorbell.

He answered quickly, looking over my sweatpants and sweatshirt that I'd traded my pajamas for, and sighed. "You should have called, I would've come to you," he said.

I shrugged but didn't move. "I can go, if you don't want me here."

"No, no," he said, grabbing my arm as I turned to go. "Come in. I only meant that I would have made the drive instead of you. That's all."

I let him guide me inside and took my shoes off by the door. "I needed the drive, and I didn't want to be in town because I was worried I'd do something I'd regret later."

Jasper took my coat and hung it on a hook by the door. "Like what?"

"Like run after my father and tell him I'm sorry and that I'll give my baby to the people in Tacoma if I can just be forgiven and come home," I blurted out.

"Okay, so your father's in town," he said as I followed him into the kitchen and said a grateful yes to his offer of tea. "The important thing is if you think that's what you want to do or if you think that's what you should do."

I sat at the table, as he told me to do, while he made the tea.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"I feel like I should do it," she explained. "I don't want to, but I should. I should be the good girl who does what her parents think is best. On the other hand, if I was still that girl, I wouldn't be in this situation right now."

Silently thankful I remembered how to make something as simple as tea, I leaned against the counter while the water got hot on the stove. "You're too old to call it a 'situation,' Angela," I told her bluntly, guessing that it was what she wanted from me. "You're a college graduate and you're going to be a mother in a few months. You have to stop thinking about life in terms of what your parents expect you to do. I'm not saying you should ignore them or figure that your bridges are burned, just that you should realize you come first now, especially in your own world view."

"Nobody ever told me how to do that," she said, laughing hollowly as she watched me pour the steaming water into a mug that'd been left behind by whoever owned the cabin before I did. "How do I do that, Jasper?"

The question was really, what I was supposed to tell her when it was a borrowed lecture I'd just given her, one that Carlisle had given me a dozen times before it started to sink in. How did I take what had been a lecture on how I could not kill humans if I set my mind to it and make it a lecture, or remotely worthwhile advice, on how she could take control of her own life and accept the decisions she'd already made as the right ones.

"Maybe your parents are waiting for you," I suggested, putting the kettle back on the stove. "Maybe they're waiting for you to walk into their house and show them your daughter, their granddaughter. It sounds horrible, but maybe they don't believe that you're sure of this. Maybe they think you're going to change your mind and come around to their way of thinking. Maybe they're waiting for something concrete."

She wrapped her long fingers around the mug and sighed. "That's a lot of maybes, but maybe you're right. They always told me to be strong and independent. It does sound horrible, but they could be impatient with me for not committing. Am I indecisive?"

"A little, yes," I admitted. "You keep saying what you want and then you immediately question yourself. So maybe more unsure than indecisive. Sorry."

She sighed again. "Don't be. I know it's true. I'm going to stop. Soon."

"Are you supposed to work today?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm," she said before she hid a yawn behind her hand.

"I don't, but I'll cover your shift," I offered. "You can stay here and sleep, if you want, or I'll drive you back to your apartment when I go to work."

"I drove here," she protested before I interrupted her.

"You're too tired to drive, we'll get your car back later."

"Or maybe I'll just stay here," she said wearily, "if you really don't mind."

"I don't mind," I promised, giving her a tiny extra boost to believe me. "What time are you supposed to start?" She told me she started at three-thirty and I glanced at the clock, all part of the act. "It's only eight-thirty now, do you want to sleep?"

She nodded, not meeting my eyes.

I held out my hand, marveling a little at the warmth when she took it. "Come on. There's only one bedroom but I washed the sheets yesterday so you should be fine."

"I could sleep on the couch," she protested meekly.

"Remember what I said about my mother, Esme, and chivalry?" I reminded her, knowing it would be the best persuasion to get her to sleep on the bed.

She smiled shyly and let me take her to the bedroom at the back of the house.

The sheets hadn't been washed the day before, but they hadn't been used since I moved in and put them on the bed so it wasn't too bad of a lie.

Angela was sound asleep exactly one hundred and seventeen seconds after she burrowed beneath the thick brown blanket. I would have helped her find rest, but she didn't need it.

I left the bedroom as soon as I was sure she would stay asleep and left the house, stopping only to grab my cell phone from the kitchen counter before I walked into the yard and sat down on a tree stump. I called the only person who could possibly understand what was going on in my mind.

"Jasper?" Edward said, his voice making it clear he hadn't expected me to call. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything. I don't know." I mashed my hand against my face and sighed. "Angela's sleeping in my bedroom."

There was a long pause before he answered. "Why?"

"I didn't bite her, Edward," I said, reacting more to the thoughts in my head than the one word he'd said.

"I know you didn't bite her, Jasper." His words were just even enough to calm me down. "Why is she sleeping in your bedroom?"

I clenched and unclenched my fist because I didn't want to pulverize the tree. "She saw her father, she was upset, she came here, she talked, she was tired."

"Okay, that's all fine, Jasper. Why does it bother you?"

I groaned and got up to pace. "You know talking to you is like talking to a shrink, right? Even when you can't read my mind."

He laughed, and I heard the wind rustle on his end as he ran away for privacy. "That's why you called me and not Emmett, isn't it?"

"Shut up," I said, going juvenile as I always did when Edward was right. "What was your question?"

"You know what the question was, but I'll repeat it; why does Angela sleeping in your bed bother you? Why does it bother you enough to call me?"

"Because I think I care about her," I blurted out. "I care about her and I shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"She's human, Edward," I snapped, because it really was obvious. "She's human and she's pregnant."

"And she needs a friend," he finished. "Unless you're worried about biting her or killing her, I really don't see why you can't be the friend she needs."

Friends. I didn't have that many of them. She did need friends. Maybe I did too. Maybe that's why she came to me and not to Christa or the old women who adored her.

"You still with me?" Edward said, his voice bringing me back to the moment.

"I can't be the friend she needs because I'm a vampire, Edward," I said, cringing even as I said the words. "Never mind, that sounded incredibly stupid. You know what I mean."

"You can be her friend. She's been around us before," he pointed out, reminding me of Alice without coming right out and saying it. "Besides, Jasper, with what we know now, it might even be easier for you to blend in with that town, to stay around Angela longer, than it was for me and Bella at first."

Edward was finally beginning to make sense and be logical. That's why I called him and that's what I wanted. He was right; things had changed, I could stay in Colville for the length of a human lifetime thanks to the serum that Aro's wife gave us on the day we defeated the Volturi, just before she let the Romanians kill her.

I hadn't taken it yet, because I didn't have a reason to, but the others had. If you took a drop of the serum each day, your physical appearance would change mostly in line with that of an average human. Simply put, we could 'age' and fit in even better, for longer, with regular humans. We could never be, never look, younger than we were when we were turned, but as long as we could act the part, we could appear whatever age we wanted.

Stefan and Vladimir, probably out of boredom now that the Volturi had been defeated, volunteered as the test subjects and Eleazar, Tanya, and Edward had declared the stuff safe after we watched the Romanians age and go back and age again. The Denalis were in charge of making the serum for anyone who wanted it. We still sparkled, but it gave us another option.

"Even if I don't do it to be around Angela," I said, "I'm still going to start the serum. I can't look like the little brother in the family, can I?"

Edward laughed and I heard the relief in his voice when he spoke. "No, you can't. You've always looked a little bit older, though. Bella thought you and Emmett should have been teachers when she got to Forks, so I think you'll be fine just starting with one drop a day rather than skipping a bunch of time."

"Thanks, brother. For more than just the advice on Sulpicia's serum."

"That's what little brothers are for," he said. I was about to hang up when he said one final thing. "Trust your instinct, Jasper. It's never been wrong before."

* * *

**Review! You know you want to!**

**So many thanks to Emma Lee Rose, TwistedInMasen, and TheLyricalCutie for all their help! Go read their stories, and look at TwistedInMasen's banners… you won't be disappointed!**


	5. And You've Tasted Blood?

**I don't own it.**

**I hope this story is still good…**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

**And You've Tasted Blood?**

…_Angela…_

"What do you want for Christmas, Angela?"

I put the bowl of soup in front of Mrs. Baker, one of my new grandmothers, and sighed. "You don't have to get me anything for Christmas."

"We know we don't have to, dear," Mrs. Gresham said patiently, "but we want to, only we don't know what you want so we have to ask."

I knew they probably weren't going to give up on it, so I came up with something. "I'm going to need more maternity clothes. You can get me a gift certificate to a store."

Mrs. Lewiston shook her head. "We could do that, I suppose, but Vickie asked what you wanted, not what you needed."

"Needs come before wants," I argued.

"Let's leave it be, girls," Mrs. Quinlan said. "It's not in Angela's nature to say what she wants. We'll just wait and ask Christa or Bev what she'd want for Christmas. Or maybe that handsome boy you spend so much time with, Angela, I bet he'd know. And, girls, Christa said he and Angela went to high school together."

I huffed impatiently, blowing the bangs off my face as I blushed and they started speculating on the possibility of something between me and Jasper. "Can I get you anything else, ladies?"

They didn't want anything, so I went back behind the counter and started sorting the silverware and wrapping it in napkins. I must have been doing it in the angriest of ways because Christa appeared beside me and asked if everything was alright. "They're asking me what I want for Christmas and planning my future with Jasper," I complained in a whisper, even though I knew they meant well. "It's only Halloween today. By the way, do not help them decide what to give me more Christmas."

"Come on, Ang," she said, rubbing my back, "they're rich old ladies, they can give you whatever they want for Christmas. But I can't tell them what to get you because I haven't decided what to get you yet."

"Stuff for the baby?" I suggested.

"That's what baby showers are for, silly." She started helping me with the silverware and we worked in silence for a few minutes. "I meant to ask you, speaking of Jasper, where he is today? Is he sick? Will he be alright tonight? I know you don't want to be a pregnant zombie bride by yourself."

I glanced out the window and squinted against the sunlight glaring off the cars as they drove past. "He was never in school when it was sunny," I answered vaguely. "I'm sure he'll be ready for tonight."

One of her tables needed something, so I didn't have to answer any more questions about Jasper. My only customers were the old ladies and they seemed perfectly happy so I snuck into the storage room for a quick break and sent a text to Jasper, because I really didn't want to be the third wheel, groomless pregnant zombie bride. He didn't reply right away, so I went back to work.

Jasper showed up just as Bev put up the closed sign so we could get ready for the festival. "Sorry I didn't reply to your text," he said, coming to me first and carrying the bags with our costume materials. "I don't think I had a signal until just before I got here."

"That's okay. I was just checking to make sure you weren't standing me up," I said lightly.

"Chivalry, Angela, chivalry," he reminded me with a wink.

I smiled in spite of the iffy mood I'd been in all day. "Of course. I remember that you and your family were never around on sunny days in Forks."

"Yep, it's a habit that's hard to break. Anyway, ready to be a zombie?"

We claimed the storage room to get ready, leaving Christa and Nate to get ready in the bathroom. Our costumes came mostly put together and all we really had to do was put on makeup and get our hair to look, for lack of a better phrase, zombie-fied.

"I feel like I'm not being very helpful," Jasper said as he sat on a hard plastic chair and I put ash colored makeup on his face and neck, "but I wouldn't be very good at this."

"You paid for the stuff, we're even. And you can do your own hands while I do my own stuff."

"I'll do your hands too," he offered. "Are you okay, Angela? You seem… off today."

I shrugged and turned my back to him, leaning forward to look in the tiny mirror smudge more of the ashy stuff on my exposed cleavage. "Just an off day, that's all. Everybody has them, right?"

"Anyone who doesn't isn't normal," he agreed. "Just so long as they only last a day at a time, right?"

"Right." I pulled my hair down around my face. We finished getting ready in silence, each concentrating on our own hands and hair. "Anyway, do you think we look like zombies yet?"

In answer, he made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a groan. I laughed, feeling better already just for being around him.

We walked hand-in-hand to the park where the festival was being held. It quickly became clear that Bev's booth was one of the favorites of the night and there was never really time to rest as everyone lined up for the intricate and complicated spider's web cookies and red velvet 'blood' hot chocolate Christa and Nate had made just for the night. Happily, everyone wanted to talk to the person who came up with the recipes, and get a copy of them, so Jasper and I left Christa and Nate to handle that part while we followed the recipes and kept making more.

"Aren't you going to try a cookie?" Jasper asked as he drizzled the chocolate syrup in the design Nate had instructed us to use.

"Aren't you?" I took a cookie anyway and sighed happily when the warm chocolate and vanilla melted in my mouth.

"Zombies only eat human flesh," he reminded me.

"So drink the blood." I grinned when he groaned at being caught and held out a paper cup of the stuff, I'd already drunk have of it.

He swallowed the other half and cringed. "Doesn't taste like blood."

"And you've tasted blood?"

"Zombie, remember," he said, looking satisfied that he'd found a way out of the corner he'd backed himself into. "Blood is part of flesh."

"You're stubborn," I announced. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

"Many times, darlin', many times," he drawled the words as he threw the paper cup into the trash can behind us. "Here come those old ladies that like you so much."

"Hold me back if they ask about Christmas," I muttered before smiling in the most un-zombie-like of ways. "Happy Halloween, ladies."

"Happy Halloween, Angela. Happy Halloween, Jasper," Mrs. Gresham, dressed as a witch just like the other three were. "You two look absolutely adorable."

"We're supposed to look scary, ma'am," Jasper said politely, and I was grateful he answered before I had to. "We're zombies. I don't think they're meant to be adorable."

"Alright then," Mrs. Quinlan said, "you're a perfectly tragic zombie couple, killed on their wedding day."

"Before the child could be born," Mrs. Lewis added. "So tragic for such a beautiful couple to come to that particular end, don't you think?"

Jasper answered again. "Whatever you say, ma'am, ladies. Can we interest you in spider's web cookies or bloody hot chocolate?"

They all wanted one of each, of course, but Jasper took care of serving them and I busied myself decorating more cookies. The only downside to him charming them into leaving me alone for the moment was that they would inevitably decide with even more certainty that he should ask me on a date and then set about making it happen, but it was probably inevitable anyway so I didn't try and stop it.

At the end of the night, when the little kids had gone home, the mayor stepped up to the microphone in the gazebo and announced the winners of the costume contest, a contest I hadn't realized was going on. Jasper and I won for best couple, earning ourselves a packet of coupons from different shops and restaurants in town and a pair of plastic crowns for our trouble.

"I didn't nominate you," Christa said after he and I hurried away from the microphone. "I think it was Mrs. Baker."

"Of course it was," I sighed.

"People still voted for you," Nate pointed out. "Even me and Christa did."

Jasper tore a coupon for a free game of bowling for two out of the packet and handed it to him. "Here you go, then, for your troubles. Have a free date on us."

"Ooh, I love bowling," Christa said enthusiastically. "Nate, the bowling alley is open all night tonight. Want to see if we can use it now and bowl as Antony and Cleopatra?"

He agreed and asked us if we wanted to tag along. Jasper let me answer and I said I just wanted to sleep. We all helped take stuff back to the restaurant before they went bowling and Jasper walked me to my apartment. He accepted my offer of changing and cleaning up at my place before he went home.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"Can you put some flakes in OJ's bowl?" Angela called through the bathroom door as the shower shut off.

I eyed the fish doubtfully, but did as she asked. Emmett would be interested to know that goldfish are not afraid of vampires. "Why is his name OJ? Or her name?"

"His. And it's OJ because he's, you know, orange."

I laughed and screwed the cap back on the little bottle as OJ ate his food. "Touché. It is strange, isn't it, that they're called goldfish but they aren't anything close to being gold?"

"It's probably because we have a fascination with gold and wealth," she said as she emerged from the bathroom in sweats and no makeup. "So when all we can afford is a silly little fish, we like to trick ourselves into thinking we're a lot richer than we really are by titling said fish gold."

I opened and closed my mouth twice before I nodded. "You might be onto something there."

"Or I might be ridiculously cynical lately. Either way, the bathroom is yours to change and wash up."

As I traded the zombie clothes for normal ones, I heard Angela moving in the kitchen and smelled the tea when she opened the box. Careful not to splash water everywhere, I washed off the makeup in the sink. I was a little surprised that it hadn't cracked given my body temperature but apparently humans made their Halloween gear to last.

"You could've showered," Angela said when I leaned on the counter in the open kitchen. "I don't mind."

"I'll shower at home. You had more stuff in your hair than I have in mine."

She shrugged and poured boiling water into two cups. "I know you almost never eat or drink stuff around people but my chivalrous nature made me make you a cup of tea. You can drink it or not. I promise I'll only be offended if you taste it and declare me to be the worst tea maker in the history of the world."

Something in her words and her emotions made me decide then and there that I would drink the tea. Maybe she was beginning to notice things, maybe I wasn't being careful enough, maybe it was just her hormones. Whichever it was, I didn't miss the slight shift in what we had.

I followed her lead, letting the teabag steep for three minutes exactly and then carrying the mug into the small living room. She curled up on one side of the couch and I sat on the other. "What you do if there were zombies, a zombie apocalypse or whatever?" she asked, staring at the darkened television screen. "Would you try to kill them? Would you run and hide, hoping both worlds could coexist? Would you figure you had no chance and walk right into a horde of them?"

I didn't have any idea where she was going with her questions, but I answered them as best I could. "Probably all of those things, I suppose. Coexistence would be my first choice, I imagine. Walking into a horde of them would be the last thing. What about you?"

"The same, I think. Or at least I hope. It's probably one of those, you never know how you'll react until it happens things." She sipped her tea, and I copied the way she did it, making a few alterations so it wasn't just imitation. She twisted in her seat and stared at me intently over the top of her mug. "Jasper? Can I ask you a personal question? You can tell me to mind my own business and I'll understand."

"Can I reserve the right not to answer?"

She nodded and chewed her bottom lip. Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry. Never mind. I shouldn't have said anything at all."

"No," I said firmly. "You should have. How about I make it easier and guess what you were going to ask me? And I bet there are actually questions."

She smiled a little and sat up straighter. "There are, but I'll ask them myself. And let you bow out of answering them if you want. Why don't you eat and drink?"

I exhaled slowly and fixed my eyes on OJ when I answered. "Special diet?"

"We went grocery shopping together, Jasper," she reminded me. "You bought pretty much the same things I did. Maybe you just like to prepare it for yourself? Germ freak or something like that?"

"Something like that," I said as the guilt I felt about lying to her by omission swelled.

"Okay, fair enough. Second question, why don't you go to work, or school, when it's sunny? It isn't family hiking trips, is it? Especially not now that you're alone here."

"Would you believe that I, and most of my family, have a rare skin condition that makes us sensitive to the sun?"

"If you asked me to believe it, I would try very hard to do that," she admitted, her eyes never leaving my face even as I met her gaze.

With what Edward has said in mind, I drank the rest of my tea if for no other reason than that it was in my hand and I didn't want it there anymore. "I don't want you to believe that."

Her mouth formed an 'o' of surprise but she didn't say anything.

"I want you to know something, though," I said. "I want you to know it, remember it, and believe it. I want you to try and do all those things after I tell you the truth about why I don't eat and why I don't go out in the sun. I care about you, I consider you a friend, and that's why I'm here. What I'm going to tell you doesn't change any of that and it won't. But if you want me to leave and never come back, I will."

"Unless you're going to admitted that you murdered Alice, just tell me," she demanded when I trailed off.

I shivered at the thought and closed my eyes, praying to whatever god listened to vampires that I was doing the right thing. "Monsters are real, Angela. Maybe not zombies, but other monsters. Vampires, for example. They're real."

Her heartbeat increased but she didn't flinch and I didn't feel the fear I expected from her.

"You're a vampire?" Her voice wasn't much more than a whisper. When I didn't answer, she nodded. "Wow. A vampire. Blood drinker and all that?"

I nodded then. She still seemed calm; not even unnaturally so, she was just calm, so I started my story. I left out bits that Edward still didn't want Bella to know and things I was fairly certain I'd kept even from him, but I told her everything. I told her some of what I remembered of my human life, the cliff notes version of my time with Maria, how I met Alice, and how I became a Cullen and what that meant to my life. She knew everything by the time I finished, everything but the details of how Alice and the others really died.

"So red velvet hot chocolate isn't like human blood or animal blood?" she asked cheekily.

"No, nothing like it," I said. I shook my head and finally put the mug on the coffee table. "It's disgusting. That wasn't the first question I expected you to ask, you know."

"I know," she said, and she put her own mug on the table before leaning to toward me. "You asked me to remember that you're here as my friend and that you care about me. You asked me to believe that, and I do."

"Why?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe I'm finally taking full responsibility for my life. Maybe I've finally convinced my mind to follow my heart and stop putting stupid, impossible conditions on things like friendship." She reached out and grabbed my hand, gripping it tightly. "That's why you're always cold. It makes sense now. This is a secret, right?"

I hummed my answer and let her keep hold of my hand.

"That's okay. If I told anyone, they'd commit me," she laughed.

"You'll be able to talk to Bella, if you want," I offered. "She's a vampire now, but you knew her before. She asks about you a lot since I told them I know you here."

She said she did want to talk to Bella but then she glanced at my shyly. "I have two more questions but I'll only ask one now. The other one can wait, forever if you'd rather. But, since you mentioned Bella, I have to know if your family will be upset that I know their secret now."

"Bella was human when she married Edward, Angela. We don't put conditions on things like caring for someone. It isn't who we are."

* * *

…**so is it (still good)?**

**Mad thanks to TheLyricalCute, Emma Lee Rose, and TwistedInMasen**


	6. Supernatural Super Secrets

**Don't own it.**

**A/N: **I just replied to all the super sweet, super lovely, super kind, super thoughtful (have I said 'super' too much yet?) reviews for chapter five and… I'm kind of speechless now so… here's chapter six!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

**Supernatural Super Secrets**

…_Angela…_

I growled and threw my pen across the room.

"Uh-oh," Nate said from behind the counter. "Pregnant girl's having another tantrum. Christa! Jasper! Somebody fix her."

"Christa's in the bathroom so I guess I'm it," Jasper said. He watched me warily, just as he had in the week or so since he told me all his secrets. "What's wrong, Angela?"

"Stupid forms," I muttered. And then I started to cry.

Even though my face was buried in my hands, I saw Bev whisper something in Jasper's ear and I wasn't surprised when he touched my elbow. "Want to go for a walk?" he whispered in my ear.

I nodded and let him lead me out of the restaurant. "She's going to fire me, isn't she?" I asked him.

He handed me my jacket and wouldn't move until I put it on and zipped it over my ever more round middle. "No, of course she's not going to fire you. She's just worried about you. That's all." He held up the papers I'd gotten mad at and looked at me questioningly. "So, what did the papers do to you?"

I started walking and he fell into step beside me. "They're sign-up forms for… baby classes. Childbirth, breastfeeding, parenting. All that stuff. They all have lines for the father's name. And no, I'm not upset because I don't have anything to write on that line. I'm upset because I'm scared that if something happens to my baby, something medical, I won't be able to do anything because she won't know her father. What if she needs a transplant or something from a family member and my family isn't a match?" I took a deep breath and smiled weakly, signaling the end of my rant.

Jasper nodded calmly. "You said the guy you slept with left a note about calling him, but he didn't write his name. Right?" I said that he was right and he continued. "If there was any part of a phone number or name, even scribbled chicken scratch, on the note and you still have it, give it to me. I'll find him for you."

"You can do that?" I asked, my hope flaring slightly because I still had the note. I tortured myself and kept it tucked safely in my bag.

"If I can't do it myself, I have someone who can do it for me. Trust me?"

He'd brought my bag with my jacket and I stopped walking to unzip the little pocket. I handed the scrap of paper to him and waited for his verdict on the information it.

"There's enough here," he promised. "We'll find him."

I exhaled deeply, one worry lifted off my shoulders. Then another popped up. "Getting him to agree to anything will probably take lawyers and things. I don't have a lawyer or the money for one." I shifted my weight and rubbed a spot where my baby girl was kicking. "Could you, um, would you help me with that? I'll pay you back, one day."

He finished taking a picture of the note with his phone and tucked the paper into his wallet. "Yes. I can and will help you with that." He smiled at me and offered me his hand. "I'm kind of glad I didn't have to offer to help. It was nice that you just asked."

I took his hand and we kept walking. "I figured I should do some of the hard stuff for once."

"Was there anything else that made you growl and cry and throw things?"

"I have to do all the hard stuff at once?" I whined teasingly before I got serious again. "Yeah, there was. The classes, the ones I told you about? You're supposed to write down who's coming with you."

Jasper glanced at me and gave a small, patient sigh. "I'm surprised Christa hasn't already signed herself up," he remarked, "and I'm sure she will once you ask her. But if you need someone else for any of them, or a backup plan if she can't, I'll do that too, Angela."

"Really? You're not her father, we're just friends, and you're a, you know," I said in a whisper, "and you'd come to baby classes with me?"

He was quiet for a minute and I wondered if he was about to take back everything he'd just said. But he didn't. "If you need me and want me there, I'll be there, Angela. I'll be whatever you want and need me to be. Some things might be more difficult than others for me and what I am, but I'll at least help you figure how to get it done."

As he led me to a bench in the park, I decided to put an end to his unspoken worries. "I don't care what you are, Jasper. You said you're not going to hurt me and I believe you. You said you're still here because you care about me and because you value our friendship. That's enough for me. My friendship with you, my feelings for you, they're unconditional. Do you believe me?"

He seemed surprised that I cupped my hand on his chin, but he didn't flinch. "Yes, I believe you," he said, a smile flashing briefly on his lips.

"Good, then everything's settled," I said. "You'll find whatever you can from the note and either you or Christa will come to the classes with me."

He offered his hand and we shook to seal the deal. "Ready to head back to work or do you want to take the rest of the day off?"

As much as I wanted to take the day off, I said I was ready to go back to work. "Did you tell your family you told me what you are?" I asked as we walked.

"I did. They're fine with it. They're actually coming here this weekend so, if you wanted, you could see Bella and meet the rest of them officially."

"I'd like that. I miss Bella."

"She looks different," he warned me. "And she is the newest vampire but she's got better control of her thirst than anyone I've ever known. I wouldn't let her close to you if it'd put you in danger."

I shrugged and looked both ways before crossing the street. "I know."

"Of course you do," he laughed. "You're kind of like her, you know. Edward told her what he was and she didn't care. She kept telling him that he'd never hurt her and that none of it mattered. He was very confused for a while there."

"Maybe that's why you're taking my reaction better, you knew it could be coming." I stopped just before we went got back to the restaurant and turned to Jasper. "Does Bella's father know what she is? Does he still see her?"

"Yeah, he does know and he does see her. It was just going to be that he could see her at first, not knowing why she was different, but then we got the serum I told you about and he got involved in another part of the story that I can't tell you about. Bella might tell you, if you ask her, but I can't."

"Supernatural super secrets?" I teased just before I pushed the door open. "Don't worry, I understand."

I apologized to the rest of my co-workers and got back to work waiting tables while Jasper went back to cleaning up and restoring two old trunks Bev had bought at an estate sale.

After work I asked Christa if she'd go to childbirth classes with me. Just as Jasper predicted, she agreed without a moment's hesitation. She even went so far as to run off and make sure that Bev and Jasper would work for us whenever the classes were scheduled for.

Bev agreed and Jasper winked at me.

I mouthed a thank you at him and followed Christa outside. I gave her a ride home and spent the rest of the night buried beneath a pile of blankets while I talked to my brothers on Skype and then watched the cheesiest chick flicks I could find on television.

All in all, after the little tantrum earlier, it turned out to be a very good day.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"Uncle Jasper!"

I caught my niece when she threw herself into my arms and hugged her tightly. "Missed me, did you?" I asked as she nuzzled against my shoulder. "It's only been a few weeks, you know."

"Doesn't matter," she told me. "It's still too long."

"Okay. I missed you too, and I'm not just saying that because you did." I stood up but kept hold of her hand. "Where's your smellier half?"

Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett snickered in unison while Bella and Nessie just sighed. "Rebecca and Solomon are in La Push for a visit, so he stayed to see her," she explained.

"I know," Edward said, answering my unspoken thought. "I couldn't believe my luck either."

Emmett laughed as our brother dodged elbows from both his wife and his daughter. "Edward gave Jacob the money to fly them in for Billy's birthday," he told me. "So, no, it wasn't a surprise to anyone except Billy."

I tugged on Nessie's hand. "Come on inside. We'll try and lose these weirdos along the way."

She giggled and walked inside with me. I glanced down at her and saw her nose wrinkle before she composed herself. "It's not very homey, Uncle Jasper."

"I go to work and I hunt," I pointed out. "Between those two things and coming to see you in Forks, I don't have much time to spend here making it homey."

She shook her head and went to sit on the couch. "It's been weeks since you came to Forks, Uncle Jasper, so that isn't an excuse. You spend all your time here with the girl that went to school with Momma. Are you in love with her?"

"Renesmee!" Bella gasped from front door. "That's a very rude question to ask."

"You asked Daddy on the way here if Uncle Jasper was in love with her," Nessie argued, maybe acting more like the four year old she was than the pre-teen she appeared to be. "Wasn't that rude?"

I looked at my sister as I felt her embarrassment skyrocket, and she was as close to blushing as a vampire ever would be.

"Yes," she said finally. "It was rude. Jasper, I apologize for myself and for my daughter."

When Nessie apologized to me for herself, I accepted it from both of them. "Angela's my friend," I told anyone within earshot. "That's all. She'd like to meet you, Nessie."

She nodded in understanding and agreement. "Daddy told me that you told Angela about me. If she means something to you, I want to meet her."

And she was back to sounding far older and wiser than what she was to the average person.

"Are we going to her or is she coming here?" Rosalie asked dryly as she straightened a painting of a waterfall that had come with the house.

"She's coming here. She'll be here this afternoon."

"She meant that nicer than it sounded," Emmett said.

"No, she didn't," Edward and I said in unison as she scowled at being caught and called out by more than just Edward for once.

He sighed and looked at his wife wearily.

"What?" Rosalie snapped. "Look, it's great that Jasper made a friend but I'm not sure it's the best thing. Are you?"

Emmett clearly didn't know what she was talking about and Edward looked at me, silently offering to explain if I didn't want to. I wasn't completely sure, so I let him. "She doesn't think it's a good idea for Jasper to get close to someone so… mortal. Not after how he was in the first years after Alice. In her own way, she's worried that enduring another heartbreak will break him. She's just not very good at showing her concern."

She glared at him, but she wouldn't have been Rosalie if she hadn't glared at him.

I held up my hand before she could say anything. "I understand that you're worried about me, Rose, and thank you for worrying. But if Edward's right and you're worried because Angela is mortal, I understand that too but it doesn't make sense. We're all mortal. I think what happened to Alice, and to Carlisle and Esme proved that, don't you?"

"Jasper's right," Bella said quietly. "In a sense, we're all as mortal as every human around us. And it isn't like he doesn't know what could happen. So we can worry about him, just like we'd do anyway, but we shouldn't make him feel like it means we don't accept whatever it is he wants to do. Because we do."

I reached out around my niece and squeezed her hand. "Thank you, Bella. I appreciate that very much."

"When is Angela coming?" Nessie asked, clearly eager to move on from deep conversations. "I'm excited to meet her."

"An hour and a half," I told her. "I thought maybe you'd just want to see me first."

She kissed my cheek sweetly and laughed. "I'll eat human food while she's here if you think that will help her feel more comfortable."

"What she's really saying," Emmett said, "is that she's hungry and wants to eat some human food."

"Good thing I went shopping, isn't it then?"

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Since Angela knows what I am, I don't have to pretend much, do I? And I'll be careful not to show her things, but I won't be in trouble if I accidentally do, will I?"

"She knows everything about what all of us are right now," I told her, "so the only thing I'd be upset about is if you bit her and I know you won't do that. Anything else, you'll have to talk to your parents about, okay?"

They agreed with what I'd asked of her and I spent the rest of the hour and a half giving them a tour of my small house and the property that surrounded it. Rosalie and Emmett had both visited me, but it was new to Edward and his family.

"We're not going to kill her," Edward said as we walked back to the house, "so stop worrying. Everything will be fine. I know that Angela's mind is one that will accept whatever, or whoever, comes into her life. Relax, Jasper."

"How can he do that when Rosalie's still here?" Emmett asked cheekily, and we all laughed when she punched him in the arm.

I made them all stay in the house while I waited for Angela to arrive.

I met her car when she parked on the road. "Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked as I opened her door.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" she countered.

"Not fair, Angela. This is bigger, odder, for you than it is for me."

"You forget that I hung out with Bella and sat with Edward at lunch senior year. I know them already. And Emmett seems easygoing enough. I'm excited to meet Bella's daughter. I'm only worried about Rosalie."

I sighed and took her hand. "We all worry about Rosalie, but she'll behave. I promise."

While I was gone, they'd rearranged themselves and only Edward and Bella were in the living room to greet us, to greet Angela. And Bella was standing behind Edward, but only out of nerves and not out of thirst.

"You look older," Angela said lightly to Edward in greeting.

He was caught off guard but composed himself quickly. "Jasper told you about the serum, of course. Do I really look older? We don't get a lot of chance to ask, well, humans if it's noticeable."

She nodded confidently. "Yeah, you do. Like a college guy now." She looked around him and smiled shyly at Bella. "You look different too. Older and very, very different."

"Who knew I could be pretty, right?" Bella laughed nervously.

Angela shook her head. "You were pretty before. You're just a different kind of pretty now. Did you decide not to bring your daughter?"

On cue, Nessie slipped out of the kitchen and drifted to a stop beside her parents. "Hello, Angela," she said bravely, covering up her own nerves. "I'm Renesmee, but you can call me Nessie. You know, like the Loch Ness monster."

"They nicknamed you after the Loch Ness monster?" Angela asked in dismay, focusing on the one thing I hadn't told her about.

"Not Momma and Daddy. It was Jacob that did it." Nessie shrugged and smiled. "It just stuck."

"Jacob Black?" Angela asked, glancing at Bella. "The boy from La Push that was so in love with you?"

"You didn't tell her about Jacob and Nessie?" Edward hissed at me, so that Angela couldn't hear his words while Bella said that was the Jacob in question.

I shook my head and took a step back. "Nope. I have no idea how to explain that one so it's all you and Bella if you want Angela to know the details."

Emmett hurried into the room, as good with his cues as Nessie was. "Before anybody starts growling at each other," he said at our speed before turning and grinning amiably at Angela. "Hi. I'm Emmett. I think we might've met at the graduation party."

"I thought Jasper said you have perfect memories," she said pointedly as she shook his offered hand.

"I like her," Emmett declared. "You, I mean, I like you."

With that, everyone relaxed. It was a talent of Emmett's I was a little jealous of. I could make a room relax, but only by force and only for a few minutes. Emmett's influence was instant and long-lasting.

Nessie asked Angela if she was hungry and we all sat in the kitchen with them while they ate the fettuccine alfredo Rosalie had started when she was the last person left there.

My twin was on her best behavior and I was thankful for it.

I was even more thankful that Angela was honestly and truly smiling as we talked.

* * *

**Emma Lee Rose **is my beta extraordinaire and she's just sent back chapters 8-11 so yes, this story will be around for a while. I've been reading some one-shots for her and you seriously need to go and follow her so you'll get to read them when she posts them, do it now!

**TheLyricalCutie **is my fabulous pre-reader and idea sounding board and she's working on chapter 10. Her story, _Eyes on Fire_? So good. You need to read that too.


	7. Punch Jasper Next Time You See Him

**Don't own it.**

**Here it is Tuesday and another update. I hope you like it! I know I do.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

**Punch Jasper Next Time You See Him**

…_Angela…_

"Have you picked out any names for her yet?" Rosalie asked me while we sat on lawn chairs in Jasper's backyard and watched Nessie's uncles teach her to play baseball; Bella was hunting with Edward.

I shook my head, still a little confused over the fact that I'd found myself gravitating more toward Rosalie than to Bella in the few days that I'd known Jasper's family for what they were. Bella hadn't changed much; her existence still seemed to revolve entirely around Edward just as it had when she was human. I rationalized everything with the thought that, since Rosalie and Jasper pretended so well to be twins, it only made sense that they'd act alike enough that I'd like her almost as much as I liked him. It was a stretch, but it was the way I had to think of things.

"No, nothing picked out yet," I said as I rubbed my hand over my burgeoning belly, just as I always did when anyone talked about my baby. "I suppose I should think of something, shouldn't I? I'm over halfway done with this part."

"If all else fails, you'll know her name when you see her," she reassured me.

I laughed and toyed with the sleeve of my jacket, a jacket that could no longer be all the way zipped up. "That's what I keep telling myself. When I was little, I had all my kids' names picked out. I still have the list too, but I know now that they're far too cutesy for anyone to ever grow up into. Know what I mean?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the lawn. "You can't picture a grown up, successful lawyer or doctor for a daughter if she's saddled with a name like Poppy, right?"

"Exactly. This name has to fit every eventuality for a lifetime. I really don't want my daughter to resent me because she hates her name. I had enough trouble getting to like Angela, and I'm still not sure I do."

"Angela is a name that fits in any era," she pointed out.

"Maybe, but there's a difference between fits in any era and classically timeless," I argued. "Your entire family has classically timeless names. My entire family has biblical names that someone somewhere will always be using. I want to name her something that would fit better in your family than mine."

She smiled and clapped when Nessie sent the baseball flying far beyond what I could see with a resounding thwack of the bat. "I'm glad you like our names. We worry sometimes that they're too old fashioned for the places we live, but I'd never use a different one. I am Rosalie Hale."

"Is that why Jasper goes by Hale?"

"He couldn't really care less what name people know him by so, yes, that's why we're the Hale twins instead of the Whitlock twins." She shivered and drummed her perfectly manicured nails on the plastic arm of the chair. "Can you imagine me being Rosalie Whitlock?"

"It sounds very Southern belle," I admitted, hoping I wasn't offending her. "Like something out of _Gone with the Wind_."

"I never thought of it like that. I'll have to remember that if we start over again. I could be a Southern belle, don't you think, Jasper?" she called out.

He left Emmett and Nessie on their own and walked over to us, sitting on the ground beside my chair. "You already are a Southern belle, Rose, only you're one from up north. Do you want to know what I think you should name the baby, Angela?"

"Wait," Rosalie said before I could answer, "you picked a name for her baby? You did?"

"Yes, but now I'm not telling her until you go back to Forks."

I gaped at him, mostly to play along with their sibling argument because, in truth, I didn't want him to tell me his idea in front of her.

"Play nice, you two," Emmett hollered, saving me from a few moments of awkwardness. "I smell Squirt's parents on their way back, better get the human inside. Nothing to worry about, Angela, just better to be safe than sorry."

I stood up and nodded. "No worries. I'm cold so I was going inside anyway."

Jasper followed me and put his hand over my car keys when I reached for them. "You can stay, if you want. There won't be any trouble with Bella. If you're going, I'm driving your car and one of them can drive me back. Rosalie didn't offend you, did she?"

"You keep asking me that," I laughed. "And again, no, she didn't offend me. I like Rosalie."

"She offends a lot of people, vampires, whatever," he said. "But I'm glad you like her."

I knew Rosalie could hear me, so I didn't say that part of the reason I did was that she clearly meant so much to him. I'd tell him later or Edward could, and I thought that in case Edward was close enough to hear me. Then I shook off the idea that someone nearby could read my thoughts and pulled my hand out from under Jasper's. "I'll stay, and then you'll have to drive me home because I'll be asleep."

He tapped two fingers to his forehead and grinned. "It's a deal."

"Tell me what you think I should name the baby." I narrowed my eyes at him. "Do you really have an idea or were you making that up to torment Rosalie?"

He managed to look hurt. "Of course I really have an idea. I should refuse to tell you just because you accused me of lying."

"Maybe you should," I agreed, "but you won't. So tell me."

"No, not yet. You have to think of some on your own or she has to be three days old and unnamed." I must have made a face because he held up his hand. "She's your daughter, Angela. You shouldn't be influenced by anyone else. Who knows, maybe you'll come up with the name I'm thinking of."

I scowled at him. "You're rude, I hope you know that. What do you think the chances of me getting Edward to tell me the name you're thinking of are?"

"Get Nessie on your side and I'd say your chances look better but, if my brother knows what's good for him, he'll keep his trap shut."

I knew from his words that Edward was close by and I rolled my eyes. "Rude," I repeated petulantly as everyone else came inside. I would have done as he said and got Nessie on my side but I didn't feel quite comfortable enough around her to start a conversation just yet.

Jasper held true to his word and drove me home at nine-thirty, with Emmett following in another car to drive him home since my apartment wasn't centrally located enough to be, as Emmett put it, 'ideal for vampires wishing to lurk in the shadows and thusly disappear into the night.' He followed us inside too, marveling at OJ and deciding that, as OJ didn't seem to be terrified of him, he was going to get himself some goldfish. He only scoffed when I asked if Rosalie wouldn't mind, but I saw the laughter in Jasper's eyes that told me I was exactly right.

I slept soundly and didn't wake up until the sun was shining brightly in my face. I blindly felt around for my phone, needing to know if I was late for work, and discovered that I had a video message, and I hadn't even known my not very smart phone could get video messages. It was from Emmett, and he was reminding me that because Jasper was so 'sparkly awesome' when it was sunny, he wouldn't be at work. He told me too that the rest of them had to go back to Forks so he and Rosalie could go to work. He signed off by telling me he'd put his number in my phone and I should let him know if OJ was any special kind of goldfish because he wanted to get the same kind.

I told him, in a text, that I'd gotten OJ out of tank at a pet store, something I thought could be tricky for him from what I understood, labeled simply 'goldfish' but I could take a picture of him and he could try to match the kind, if he wanted.

He responded, not surprisingly, that he'd like that very much.

With my goldfish research done, I got ready for work. I missed Jasper before I even got there.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

I put the bowls of cheddar baked potato soup in front of the quartet of elderly ladies who'd adopted Angela and seemed to be intent on my dating her. "Can I get you ladies anything else?"

Mrs. Baker passed the packets of saltine crackers to her friends and then looked up at me. "No. Not food-wise, anyway. Where's Angela today? Is she sick? Is that why you're covering her tables?"

I'd expected the questions and had my answers prepared. "Actually, she is sick. It's nothing serious, though. It's just a cold."

"She's been to the doctor?" Mrs. Lewiston asked.

"Yes, ma'am. The doctor said was a cold and that she should stay home and get plenty of rest and fluids."

Mrs. Gresham shook her head. "Is she all alone at her apartment? We can stop by after work. I've got a pot of chicken soup in my refrigerator. We could take that over to her. Does she need anything else?"

I didn't really understand why she was eating soup at a restaurant if she had entire pot in her refrigerator but that wasn't any of my business. "She's not alone. Christa stayed with her and I'll take over when Christa works later. She did ask me to tell you that you can come and see her if you're not worried about catching it, and that she understands if you are."

"We'll go over right after lunch," Mrs. Quinlan decided.

I left them to their soup, mentally calculating how long I'd need to stall after they left to make sure I didn't run into them at Angela's. They ate faster than usual and I only had to check on them once before they asked for the check, and met me at the cash register.

After Mrs. Baker paid with her credit card, telling me that they took turns every week, they left to get the soup from Mrs. Gresham's refrigerator and then go on to Angela's. When I lifted the cash drawer to stick their receipt beneath it, I noticed a note scrawled on the comments line. I groaned when I read it.

_You should ask Angela on a date. I think she'd like it very much. You're a nice boy and she's a lovely girl, so you'd make a very good couple. Think about it._

"Go ahead and tear that off," Bev said, looking over my shoulder at the note. "They're probably right, for what it's worth, but you and Angela should do whatever you need to do. You're off soon, so tell her to take as much time off as she needs."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll leave when Christa gets here."

"Yeah, I'm sure the ladies can keep an eye on Angela until you get there," she laughed. "You and Angela are both so patient with them. I've hired younger people, high school age or still in college and so many of them have absolutely no patience with the older folks. So thank you."

I nodded and went to clean up their table.

Christa arrived twenty minutes later and made a beeline for me. "Angela's fine. She's just sleeping a lot and her fever is staying down. However, two of the four ladies are zonked out on the couch so you might want to hurry before the other two get too tired to drive the others home."

Nate laughed when I yanked off my apron and stuffed it behind the counter. "See you later, man," he called from the kitchen. "Good luck."

Luck was on my side and Mrs. Gresham greeted my arrival with swift kicks to Mrs. Quinlan and Mrs. Baker, telling them to wake up so they could go home and take naps. I knew part of her motivation was to leave me and Angela alone, but I didn't really care. I walked them to their car and promised to let them know if Christa and I needed help looking after Angela.

"How was work?" Angela asked, her voice only a little hoarse when I came back in.

"Human food was so much simpler in the 1850s," I sighed. I sunk onto the end of the couch next the chair she was curled up in. "Should you be laying down?"

"I cough if I do, I'm fine. Did you even have restaurants in Texas in the 1850s?"

"Yes, we had restaurants," I said with mock indignity, knowing she was teasing me. "They were all over in the big cities and the towns usually had a cantina. There was a better chance that you'd get pie at restaurants than at home. That's why my grandfather always took me to restaurants when I visited him in Houston, because my grandmother couldn't bake a pie to save her life. Those were his words, not mine," I added when she looked shocked.

She relaxed a little and watched me. "You didn't live in Houston?"

"No, my father had a cattle ranch outside the city but they sent me to stay with my grandparents for a few months every year because I could get better schooling in Houston than at the one-room schoolhouse near our ranch. He wanted me to take over the ranch one day since my only siblings were sisters who would marry and move away with their husbands."

"What did he do, after you didn't come home? Did you ever find out?"

"My sister Mariah married a man named Robert Telluride and they took over the ranch. Esme researched it for me after I came to… after I became a Cullen."

"Did you like the ranch better or life in Houston?" she asked.

I was grateful she moved onto things that were easier to talk about and I smiled. "The ranch, hands down. Riding horses all day, being outside, no one telling you what to do… that was perfect. Houston, on the other hand, was starched clothes, shoes, being inside, being told what to do, and having proper manners. I was seventeen when I joined the cavalry so I was probably a pretty average boy in any era."

"I'd say so." She blew her nose and breathed through her mouth. "Since you're here, will you make me a cup of tea?"

I was fast becoming an expert at making tea and, once I found the packets of tea that her doctor had suggested she try abd it only took me as long as it took the water to boil and the tea to steep to have the tea made and in her hands. "Christa said your fever is down? Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, just a sore throat now. I'll be fine." She inhaled deeply, taking in the steam from the tea. "Can I ask you a question?"

"No, never. I absolutely will never answer any of your questions. I haven't before and I'm not going to start now."

"Jasper!" she squeaked, and it was a literal squeak given the effects of her cold on her voice, as she threw a cough drop at me. "Be serious. Can I ask you a question?"

I walked to the fish bowl and gave OJ some flakes of food. "I don't know, can you?"

She snatched her phone from the tray. "Emmett, punch Jasper next time you see him. Hard. Please and thank you. Angela," she said, making sure I knew what she was doing.

"I'm sorry." I sat back down on the couch. "But I made you laugh, so I was successful. You can, and may, ask me any question you want."

She held up her hand when her phone chimed. "Emmett says he'll be happy to punch you, twice if I want. No questions asked," she reported. She replied to his text but didn't tell me what she said.

"He can try, but he won't succeed."

"Sure he will," she said confidently. "He'll succeed because I asked him to. He'll do it for me."

I shrugged. "We'll see. Now, what's your question?"

"I have two," she admitted, "and I'm not sure which is the harder one so I'll ask the most recent one that occurred to me. My mother emailed me and asked if I was coming home for Thanksgiving. I don't know if she meant it because it was words on the screen, but she said she wanted me to come home. She said I can bring a friend if I want to. So, should I go? And if I do go, you wouldn't be willing to be the friend I bring, would you?"

"Yes, you should go. No doubt about that." I kept talking before she could second guess what I said. "If you want me to be the friend, I'm there. So yes, I am willing to having Thanksgiving dinner with your family."

"Really? You don't even eat food."

"So what? If you need me, I'll be there."

She smiled and I felt her gratitude. "That was two questions, but I have one more. Did you find anything out about the baby's father from what was on the note?"

"I was going to talk to you when you felt all better," I said, "but yeah, I did. I don't know exactly who he is yet but my contact has it narrowed down to about a half dozen possibilities. He needs you to look at photos and see if you recognize anyone. I can have him send me the photos or we can stop in Seattle over Thanksgiving and you can look at them in person."

"Your contact, he's a lawyer?" When I said he was, she sighed. "So if I figure out who it was, can he handle anything legal that happens?"

"Yes, absolutely. And before you ask," I cautioned her, "I'm paying him already so don't worry about that."

She nodded and took a sip of tea. "Alright then, we're going to Seattle and Forks over Thanksgiving. Unless you change your mind, which you can."

I rolled my eyes and reached over to pull the blanket up around her. "Thank you for the permission," I said dryly. "I'll keep it in mind."

* * *

**Thanks as always **to **Emma Lee Rose **and **TheLyricalCutie **for being more helpful than they know! xo


	8. Candied Sweet Potatoes Do Look Pretty

**Don't own it.**

**No note today… **because I thought you'd just want to read and review!

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

**Candied Sweet Potatoes Do Look Pretty Disgusting**

…_Angela…_

"You really don't have to come," I told Jasper as he drove toward Forks. "You don't eat, after all."

He sighed and switched lanes, passing a logging truck with barely a glance. "Turkey and stuffing are not why I'd back out on what I offered and you accepted, even if you did ask me first. If you don't want me to be there, I'll go to our house or somewhere else. If you want me to be at Thanksgiving dinner with you and your family, I'll be there."

I chewed the inside of my lip while I considered the fact that I was taking him to the family dinner I hadn't even been sure I was still invited to until my mother emailed me and asked me to come. I'd almost said no but then I talked to my brothers on Skype and they'd all but begged me to come home, so I was. "My mother did say to bring a friend," I said.

"Do you want me to be that friend?"

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I do."

He nodded once and we fell into an easy silence for the rest of the drive.

My nerves didn't explode until we passed the 'Welcome to Forks' sign. I blinked back tears when we passed the church. Jasper put his hand over mine on the center console. "It'll be okay," he said softly. "You have to try and make this work. You'd never forgive yourself if you didn't."

I swallowed hard as he parked on the street in front of my parents' house. "I know," I murmured, talking to myself more than I was talking to him.

He came around and opened my door, offering me his hand. He let go of me once I was on my feet and followed me up to the front door. He would have held my hand if I wanted him to, but I stupidly let go.

"Angela!" Joshua and Isaac hollered as the burst out of the house and launched themselves at me, and it was only Jasper's hands on my back that kept us all standing. "You came! We missed you!"

I hugged them back fiercely. "Of course I came. I missed you two too much not to come."

Joshua grabbed my hand and tugged. "Come inside. Did you make your pumpkin pie? Mom only has the frozen ones and they aren't nearly as good as yours."

I gestured to the bag Jasper was carrying for me. "Three pies," I said over their cheers as I followed them inside.

My dad met us at the door, ushering the boys inside first and holding out his arms to me. "I wasn't sure you'd come," he whispered when I hugged him.

"Well, I did," I said lamely, stumbling over my thoughts and words when my mother came out of the kitchen. Then I spoke to both of them. "You remember Jasper Hale? Dr. Cullen's son?"

"Of course." My dad let me go and shook Jasper's hand. "It's good to see you again, Jasper. My deepest, belated condolences on the loss of your parents and of your sister."

"Thank you, sir, I appreciate that," he said, and I followed his lead in not correcting what Alice was to him. "I hope it's alright that Angela brought me for dinner." He glanced at my mother when he said it.

"Of course," she said quickly. "Come in and take off your coats. Make yourselves at home." She paled when I took off my pea coat and she saw my bump outlined by the clingy sweater I now regretted wearing. It hadn't seemed so clingy when I put it on.

My dad took our coats and the boys dragged us to the basement to look at the volcano they were making for the science fair project. They were having trouble figuring out how to make it erupt without wrecking the house, or having to spend more time cleaning up than they did building it. Jasper seemed to know how to help them. I told him in a whisper that I'd be upstairs. He gave me a fake burst of courage and I tried to make it real as I gave a weak laugh and left him with my brothers.

"Do you need any help, Mom?" I asked nervously as I came up behind her.

"Sure," she said without making eye contact. "I'll be taking the turkey out in about forty-five minutes so we can put the pies you brought in after the stuffing and bread. Right now I'm just getting the vegetable dishes ready to go."

I picked up the potato peeler and opened the bag of potatoes. "I'll do these."

"You don't have to. If you're tired from the drive, I can get your father to help me."

I bit the inside of my lip to keep from panicking or crying. "I'm fine, Mom. I slept in the car and I haven't worked in ten days so I have energy to spare."

She stopped chopping carrots, holding the knife suspended in mid-air. "Why haven't you worked? Is it something with the baby? Are you okay?"

"No, yeah, I am. It was just a cold and the people I work with are very protective of me. The doctor said I could a few days off, but they wouldn't let me come back." I was rambling nervously, but I couldn't stop myself. "Maybe because they knew I was traveling. I don't know."

"But the baby's okay?" she said, making me feel good that she was worried about it. "That's good."

"Yeah, the baby's fine." I was hesitant to talk about it but Jasper had suggested that maybe making her face it would help her come to terms with what was going to be. "I'm twenty-seven weeks now, so almost at the end of the third trimester. At my checkup last week, the doctor said that everything is perfectly normal and that she's just fine."

She started chopping the carrots again, even as she watched me. "That's good. Do you have a name yet? For her, I mean," she stammered. "I'm not talking about the father this time."

"No. No name for either. I'll figure her name out in time and Jasper's helping me try and figure out who her father is." I put down the potato peeler and made sure I had her attention, and that of my father who'd come into the kitchen. "I'm not going to be with him if we find him. I'm not going to marry him. If I find him, I'll ask him for child support and to be available for health reasons if they come up. If he wants to share custody of her, I suppose I'll have to do that too. But that's it. Nothing more and nothing less." I exhaled deeply and watched their faces for a reaction.

My mother spoke first. "Your father and I have some money for you. We want you to use it to take a few extra weeks of maternity leave and stay home after the baby comes." She held up her hand before I could protest, something I wasn't going to do because I was too shocked by her reaction. "We're giving it to you, Angela. We'd like you to use it for what I said, but you know best what you need so the final decision is yours. You have to take the money."

I opened my mouth twice before I managed to thank them.

They both hugged me, my dad did it tighter, and said we should try and have the best dinner we could. Even more to their credit, they didn't ask a thousand questions about Jasper's presence or how he could help me find the man I slept with. It was almost like the old days as the three of us finished preparing dinner. If it weren't for the tiny human growing inside of me, it would've been just like the old days.

My dad asked the boys to set the table, and he seemed surprised when Jasper helped them.

Jasper pulled out my chair and sat down beside me, across from Isaac. He shook his head when I whispered an apology as my dad started slicing the turkey. "We finished the volcano," he told me before turning to my mother. "I promise you won't need professional cleaners after they turn it on."

"Thank you. I was going to make them try it outside first but it's been raining for two weeks and I was worried the water would ruin the entire thing." She rambled as much as I did when I was nervous.

Jasper shook his head and passed me the green bean casserole dish. "It'll be fine. If I'm wrong, I'll clean it for you, ma'am."

She murmured her thanks and scolded Joshua for filling half his plate with carrots.

I held Jasper's hand and my father's while we said grace and then, before the 'amen' was fully out of their mouths, the twins started eating. A part of me was waiting for it all to turn sour but it didn't really seem like it was going to. I hoped it wouldn't.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

I followed Mrs. Weber into the kitchen to help her cut and plate the pie. I knew she was working up to something and it didn't take her long to let it out. "Is she really okay? Angela, I mean, of course. Does she understand why I said the things I said?"

"Okay is very vague term, Mrs. Weber," I pointed out. I couldn't help but be irritated by her last question. "If by okay you mean is she taking care of herself and her baby, yes, she is. If by okay you mean does she understand why you said the things you said, no, she doesn't."

"Sometimes I don't understand why I said the things I said," she sighed, turning her attention to the pie. "Is she happy in Colville? Has she made friends there?"

I thought about how Angela would want me to answer and gave her the most honest reply I could. "Yes, she's happy there. She has close friends who care deeply about her. She misses you and Reverend Weber and her brothers very much, though."

"I'm going to try very hard to be better, more understanding. Can you get the whipped cream out of the refrigerator, please?"

I didn't know why she was opening up to me, and I didn't encourage it further. She needed to talk to Angela. I got the whipped cream out as she asked and waited while she dropped dollops of it on each plate. I really didn't want to eat more human food, but I would.

After everyone ate their pie, the Webers asked Angela if she and I were spending the night. It was clear that she wasn't sure what she should do, so I leaned close and pretended like we were really discussing it. "We can stay at my family's house here," I said in a normal voice before I dropped to a whisper, "or we can stay here if you want. Or in separate places. I just need to hunt while the humans sleep."

She looked at me for a long moment before she nodded and turned to her parents. "We can stay here tonight? Is my room still… my room?"

"Of course," her father said. "And Jasper? Will you be alright on the pullout sofa in the basement?"

I couldn't have been luckier if I tried. "That'll be fine, sir, thank you."

The twins wished me goodnight after I solemnly promised that I wouldn't erupt their volcano without them while I was in the basement. The adults stayed up a little longer but when she noticed Angela was having trouble staying awake, Mrs. Weber announced it was time for bed.

Our bags were still in my car so I went to get them. I wasn't that surprised when Angela tagged along. "You really don't have to spend the night pretending to sleep in the basement," she whispered.

"I don't mind. I'll be hunting for a little while anyway," I reminded her. "Is there a spare key somewhere so I can lock the door when I go but get back in?"

She pointed to a pot on the porch and sighed as I took the bag from her hands. "I'm glad you convinced me not to chicken out of coming. We can't ever go back to where we were, but maybe we can go forward."

I gave her a one-armed hug. "That's exactly what I hoped you'd be able to say."

Everyone went to bed in their respective places and I waited until everyone seemed to be asleep before I went up into the kitchen and slipped silently out of the house. The Webers' house backed up on the forest, as most houses in Forks did, and it was easy enough to disappear into the woods. I called out to Edward in my thoughts and he and Emmett met me along the river's edge.

"I'm not watching you puke up your dinner," Emmett announced by way of a greeting, "so you better have already done that or you better do it away from me."

"Did you have to eat?" I asked, knowing that he and Edward, along with Bella, Rosalie, and Nessie had spent the day on the Quileute reservation.

"You wish, but no. It was strictly a wolfpack and vampire Thanksgiving dinner, sort of like the pilgrims and the Indians, I suppose," he said, laughing even when Edward elbowed him. "Anyway, needless to say, the wolves ate everything in sight while we just watched."

"It was so fun," Edward said sarcastically. "Of course, it's also why Emmett and I left the girls on the reservation and came to find you. How was your dinner with the Webers?"

"Fine. Turkey is disgusting but candied sweet potatoes are far, far worse." I shivered at the thought, even as I tried to focus on the thought to keep Edward out of certain other parts of what I was thinking.

"It's not working," he said in a taunting singsong voice.

I growled in frustration but refused to reply.

Edward, being the pesky little brother that he was, promptly turned to Emmett. "Angela and her parents are finding a common ground," he explained.

"Aha!" Emmett crowed loudly. "And Jazz is worried that Angela might pick them over him."

"I am not," I insisted.

"Yes, you are," Edward argued. "She won't, though."

I rolled my eyes, glaring at Emmett when he nodded in agreement. "How the hell do you know, Edward?"

He smirked and took a step backward, holding up his hands. "I'm not saying she won't have a relationship with her parents, because that's what she needs and that's what both you and she want. All I'm saying is that she wants you in her life too and she's not going to toss you aside because it's one or the other. That's not how she sees things, Jasper. Think about the Angela that you know. I've seen it all in her thoughts and I'm sure you know it because you know her."

I let my silence be my reluctant agreement.

"Are you in love with her?" Emmett asked with the blunt seriousness that most people didn't expect from him. "That's okay, you know."

"Maybe I am in love with her," I admitted. "I don't know. Maybe it's a friendship kind of love. I just… I want to be around her. I like being around her."

Edward smiled proudly, and suddenly I felt like the little brother of the group. "Then go be around her, Jasper. It's not like she's in the dark about anything and it's very, very clear she wants to be around you."

"Has she bled around you yet?" Emmett asked. And he shrugged when I nodded, remembering the papercut in the car on the way to Forks; we'd stopped at a rest stop for fifteen minutes and continued on. "All you've got to worry about then, Jazz, is what to do about a kid who gets scraped knees and crap like that. If you're still around her then, and I think you should be, you won't hurt that kid. You just won't."

"There's no reason you shouldn't be around Angela and her daughter then," Edward said, answering my unspoken thought. "Now, let's hunt so we can all get back to our women before they get mad at us."

Emmett didn't have to be told twice and just to prove I wasn't turning into a sappy fool, I deliberately threw up my human dinner in front of him.

"Yep," he said, peering down at it, "candied sweet potatoes do look pretty disgusting."

"Children," Edward muttered as he kept clear of it. "Let's go, Emmett. Are you still taking Angela to Seattle this weekend, Jazz?"

I nodded. "Tell your wife I'll treat Jenks however I want to treat him to get what I want."

Emmett snickered loudly. "Oh listen, Edward, he's already not coddling Angela and letting her see his scary side. He definitely likes her. No doubt."

"I'll keep Bella from following you," Edward laughed. "Call if you need us."

I ran back to the Webers after dodging Emmett's attempt to shove me in the river. They were all asleep, more soundly than when I'd left, so I slipped upstairs to check on Angela.

Her eyes were rimmed with red but she was peaceful. I was torn between waking her up to check on her, getting Edward to come and read her thoughts, and going back to the basement where I was supposed to be.

She made the decision for me.

"How was your hunt?" she murmured, her green eyes focusing on me in the darkness.

"Delicious," I promised her. "Did you go straight to sleep?"

She shook her head and scooted over in the bed, propping herself up on the pillow. "Come sit here so I don't have to whisper so loudly while I tell you about the conversation with my mom. I know you could hear me anyway, but I get paranoid," she pointed out when I started to protest.

So I sat next to her on the bed.

* * *

**Emma Lee Rose**, people, is absolutely lovely. Twice now in the last week or so I've gotten flustered about this story and she's made me see sense and calm down to write more. So thank her by going to read her stories… they are SO good!

**TheLyricalCutie **is also a dear and if you like Jasper and Bella stories, go read her _Eyes of Fire _right now.


	9. Things Are Safe And Calm Now

**Just playing here, no owning.**

_**Hope you like it!**_

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**Chapter Nine**

**Things Are Safe And Calm Now**

…_Angela…_

I woke up with a start when my leg developed an excruciating knot of pain. Before half a whimper could escape from my mouth, a whimper of pain and frustration because I was very bad at dealing with my own leg cramps, there was a hand on my calf. I didn't even wonder who it was because the massage felt so good. I didn't wonder at first anyway. Not until I realized I was in my childhood bedroom and that Jasper was partially beneath me and massaging my leg at the same time.

"That feels so good," I said before I could stop myself. I blushed and sighed. "I mean, what time is it?"

He laughed softly and kept rubbing. "Only six-thirty and everyone is still sound asleep so I'm not in any trouble for being in your room."

I yawned, burying my face in his shirt, and wet raspberry sound just as I turned my head. "I'm already knocked up, Jasper. I don't think it matters who sleeps in my bed for the next couple months."

"Touché." He made sure I was adequately propped up on pillows and moved down the bed to better massage my feet and legs. "Before you fell asleep last night you were about to say something about Christmas, do you remember what it was. It seemed kind of important but then you were out."

I covered a yawn again and traded him my right leg, since the cramp was long gone, for my left. "Christmas? Oh, right. I told you that my mom and I are in an okay place, right?"

"Okay but not great and never can go back to what it was," he repeated almost word for word.

"Mm-hmm. Anyway, she's feeling really guilty because her and my dad arranged to go on a church trip to Guatemala over Christmas. I was originally going with them then I got disowned and now I obviously can't go even if I want to, which I don't." I let my words trail off until Jasper stopped massaging my legs and made it clear he wouldn't start again until I finished what I had to say. So I did. I blurted out the rest of my thought. "Do vampires celebrate Christmas?"

"Some do," he hedged.

"Do you?" I clarified boldly. "Or more vaguely, can I spend the day known as Christmas with you, doing whatever it is that you do on the average December 25th?"

"Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I haven't since Alice was murdered." His massaging slowed down and he got a faraway look in his eyes. Then he pulled himself together in seconds. "She'd be very upset with me for that. So yes, you can spend December 25th with me. What would you like to do?"

"Do you usually spend it with your family? When you do something?"

He shook his head and put a pair of socks on my feet. "No, never. We spend New Year's together but for Christmas Carlisle and Esme usually went to London, where he was born, and celebrated there. Rosalie thinks it's grasping futilely on to human traditions and Emmett's human family was too poor to ever really celebrate so they usually went to third world countries and anonymously donated money to charities there. Edward went with them most time but now he spends it at Bella's father's house."

I chewed the inside of my lip and tried to stay bold. "What did you and Alice do?"

"Drowned ourselves in every Christmas tradition we could," he said, laughing softly. "You name it, we did it. Alice didn't remember any Christmas from her life so she wanted to decorate trees and wrap gifts and bake cookies and sing carols. So we did. What do you do on Christmas?"

"All that stuff, but that's not what I want to do. Or maybe I do. I don't want to make a plan, other than one to not spend the day alone. I couldn't handle that."

"Sounds like a plan to me." He held up his hand to tell me to be quiet and then slid off the bed. "Your father is waking up so I'd better get back to the basement."

My family was none the wiser as we ate breakfast, with Jasper gallantly swallowing bran pancakes that nearly made me gag. My parents invited us to come along with them to volunteer at a soup kitchen in Hoquiam but I was nervous about pushing my luck and taking two steps back for the one step forward and decided I should repay Jasper by spending the day after Thanksgiving with his family. It made sense to my parents, and I ignored Jasper's questioning look, so I promised my parents that I would tell them if I needed anything at all and that I would keep them posted on how the baby and I were doing.

While I hugged my brothers goodbye, I heard my dad ask Jasper to keep an eye on me and take care of me. Jasper promised he would.

"We can go somewhere else, right?" I said when he started the car. I kept smiling and waving to my family even as I spoke. "I'm sorry, I should have asked you that first. I just didn't want to test my luck."

"It's fine, Angela. I understand. We have two options though; Nessie and Bella invited us to spend the day with the rest of the family and her father or we can just go to Seattle tonight instead of tomorrow."

"Our hotel reservations aren't until tomorrow," I pointed out. "I don't know why I thought I'd be able to spend two nights with my parents."

"Reservations can be bumped up," he said vaguely. "Remember, I'm in charge of Seattle."

I pursed my lips and drummed my fingers on the door. "If you don't mind spending the day with your family, we can go there."

"I don't. Look on the bright side, you'll get to meet the other four humans who know what I am."

"Four?" I squawked. "I thought it was just Bella's dad."

He didn't answer. He was busy texting someone while he drove. He answered me only when he got an answer back, after an exasperated sigh. "Edward swore he and Bella would explain this part," he muttered, "but I suppose I have to. Billy Black, his daughter Rachel, and Sue Clearwater all know too."

And that was just the start of the story. I spent the rest of the drive to the Cullen house gaping at him as he explained that a native tribe could turn into werewolves and then imprint on the girls they were meant to spend their lives with, and that all that was done in order for the men to kill vampires.

"Really?" He glanced at me as he turned into the curving driveway. "You're good with me being a vampire, even the first day I told you, and you're freaking out over shape-shifting Quileutes?"

I nodded, not caring what emotions he was feeling just then. "This is… normal people becoming werewolves and then becoming normal again. I used to play with Jacob Black's sisters."

"For one thing, they don't become normal again. You'll see momentarily that they are still severely abnormal. Compared to Jacob, Paul, Seth and, I presume, Leah, we Cullens are the normal ones." He parked at the bottom of the steps and shut of the car. "For another thing, Jacob's sisters don't phase. Rachel is Paul Lahote's imprint so she'll be there, but the other one lives in Hawaii and is completely clueless about the rest of her family."

I couldn't argue with him more than that because Emmett opened my door and pulled me to my feet. "Was it terrible with your family?" he asked, kissing my cheek and patting my belly. "And how's my niece?"

I blinked three times. "No. Niece?"

He glanced over my shoulder, presumably at Jasper, and then back at me. "Sorry."

I smiled and shook my head. "No, it's okay."

"It's not too soon?" he worried. "I mean, even if you and Jasper aren't together together, I'm still here for you and your kid. Always. If you want me."

I glanced at Jasper that time. He didn't quite make eye contact but he didn't protest either. So I hugged Emmett. He didn't react for a few seconds and then his strong arms wrapped tightly around me. "Definitely not too soon," I murmured. "And I definitely want you."

"Good deal." He dropped one arm and guided me up the steps. "Ready to meet the wolves?"

"She's more worked up over them than she was over us," Jasper told him, and I knew he was talking to the wolves too. "This town produces strange human girls."

Bella appeared beside him and punched him in the arm, making a sound that hurt my ears for a second.

Emmett snickered as he used his free arm to punch Jasper too. "Forgot to do that last night," he explained to me, "and you asked me to do it so, consider it done."

…_Jasper…_

"Rachel is better at explaining wolves and imprinting than you are."

I turned away from the window I'd been staring out and smiled at Angela. "I should hope she is. She's a little bit more connected to it than I am. What do you think of the wolves?"

"They're pretty normal and yes, that does make it stranger than the fact that you're a vampire." She crossed her arms over her chest as though she were cold and smiled. "Leah said she'll phase for me later, if I want."

"And do you want her to?" I asked, motioning for her to follow me to the stairs.

"Are you kidding me?" she said as we walked up. "Of course I do."

"So while wolves are stranger, they're also cooler?"

We stopped at the top of the stairs and she nodded. "Unfortunately for you, yes, they are."

I laughed and took her hand, pulling her along. "Just wait until you're not pregnant. Then I'll show you how much cooler vampires are than smelly wolves. You'll help won't you, Emmett?" I called down the stairs.

"Hell yeah!" he boomed. "You'll see soon enough, Angela."

She shook her head and followed me. "Where are we going?"

I squared my shoulders and stepped into the room I'd shared with Alice. I knew she stopped in the doorway, but I walked into the spacious closet and found the section Alice had cryptically labeled 'For Later, First.' I hadn't known what she meant then, and if she even did she never told me. It wasn't maternity clothes specifically, but the clothes folded on the shelves could work to keep Angela warm. I pulled a dark green cardigan sweater from the pile and turned it around. "You look cold," I explained as I held it out to her.

She took it and unfolded it, raising her eyes slowly to meet mine. "This looks a little big to have been Alice's," she said softly.

"She, um, never wore it." I stepped away from the closet.

Angela went inside and looked around. I'd donated most of Alice's clothes and shoes, keeping only a few things that meant something to me and storing them in one corner of the area. Other than that, my clothes, and the areas labeled 'For Later, First' and 'For Later, Second' – which was smaller and contained a few dozen children's clothes of different sizes, the space was mostly empty. I didn't miss that Angela's focus went to the baby clothes.

"She could see the future," I reminded her softly as I leaned on the doorframe.

She turned to face me, and I was pretty sure she thought this part was strange enough to match the wolves. "She saw me? She saw the baby?"

I could only shrug. "If she saw you specifically, she never told me. I suppose you could ask Edward, if you wanted, since he saw her visions in her thoughts. She just liked to be prepared for every possible future. She was storing clothes for Bella before Bella was born."

Her laugh was shaky. "I see." She put the sweater on and wrapped it around her bump. She walked out of the closet and back into the bedroom. She walked to an overstuffed red chair by the window and sat down. "You never told me how she died. Would you? I'd like to know. I can ask someone else, if you don't want to talk about it."

I sat on the end of the bed and toyed with the tassel on the blanket. "No. Part of bringing you here, bringing you up here, was to tell you if, if you wanted to know." I took a deep breath and looked directly at her. "In December, the December after Bella and Edward's wedding, some vampires came after us. They were called the Volturi and they'd been the self-appointed rulers of the vampire world since about 500 A.D. Aro, he was sort of the leader, liked to… collect talented vampires and he'd never seen a talent like Alice's gift of seeing the future. He wanted her badly.

"They came that December. Their goal was to steal Alice, and maybe Edward. They knew they'd have to kill Carlisle and the rest of the family to get them so they latched onto rumors that Nessie was an immortal child, something they'd declared to be against the law and rightly so. When they realized she wasn't, they went to Plan B.

"Alice tried to stop them by showing Aro a vision of his army being completely defeated. It didn't work and he ordered his guards to take her deep into their ranks." I flexed my jaw as the memories flooded through my mind. It didn't escape my notice that everyone else in the house had gotten quiet, and I knew they were all still there. "Carlisle tried to save her. Aro killed him first.

"Everyone started fighting then. Alice… she… we were trying to work together… with Esme. They were close to Aro's mate and I was close to Aro. If they killed Sulpicia, Aro would be distracted enough that I could kill him. My job was supposed to be more dangerous because the Aro had bodyguards solely for the purpose keeping him alive.

"No one expected Athenodora, the mate of another of the Volturi to do what she did. She was one of the wives, they'd never done anything. But she killed Alice and Esme before anyone could blink.

"That distracted Aro and the shock of Alice's death hit me seconds after I killed him. And that's how she died."

Angela stared at me for a long minute before she got up and crossed the room to sit next to me on the bed. She bumped her shoulder against mine and sighed. "I'm sorry, for what's it worth. I really liked her."

"It's worth a lot." I linked my fingers through hers and smiled. "She really liked you too."

She smiled back and squeezed my hand. "The Volturi? They're not around anymore?"

"No. Our family, other vampires who came, and the wolves destroyed all but one of them who went back to Egypt and the coven he was stolen from by Aro. There's a committee of sorts to keep us all in line and from running wild in the human world. Rosalie is on it along with four others, and none of it is permanent so no one can get carried away with the power. Things are safe and calm now."

She seemed hesitant to say something but I tickled the palm of her hand, something I knew would make her relax. "Fine," she laughed softly. "Two questions; are they the only three that died and you told me about your friendship with Peter and Charlotte, could I meet them one day?"

"Yes, they're the only ones who died. The Clearwaters were both badly hurt but, as I'm sure you noticed, they've recovered." I laughed when I heard the snort of derision from Leah. "You'd want to meet Peter and Charlotte? They don't follow my diet."

She shrugged and leaned on me. "They're important to you. I trust you to worry about the rest. Have you told them about me?"

I exhaled deeply and nodded. "Charlotte wants to meet you. If they hunt and you promise not to bleed, you can meet them." She whispered her thanks in my ear and then hugged me. And I hugged her back, letting her be the first to let go.

"So where's your space here?" she asked, looking around the bedroom. "This looks like it was you making Alice happy, not that there's anything wrong with that."

I held her hand as she stood up and led her into the study Esme had created for me.

"Books and antiques," she said as she looked around. "It's very you. And it's very sweet that you let Alice take over out there."

"For Alice, it was more but for everyone else, like taking Rosalie's name, as long as the people around me are happy, I'll be happy. It's unavoidable," I laughed.

"Makes sense," she agreed. "Can you tell if supper's ready? I'm hungry."

I breathed a sigh of relief that we'd moved on from the hard part. "Yeah, it's ready. Don't worry, though, Mrs. Clearwater makes the wolves wait for the regular humans to get their food. You wouldn't get any otherwise."

Just as I'd promised, Jacob, Seth, Leah, and Paul were sitting grumpily on the floor while Rachel, Mr. Black, Chief Swan, and Mrs. Clearwater got their food from the island in the kitchen. Angela got line behind them and Seth was the first to his feet and in line behind her. I knew he wouldn't let anything happen to her so I sat down on the floor near the rocking chair I knew she'd go to.

Even after the long day, emotionally, the thing at the front of my mind was happiness that I didn't have to eat a second Thanksgiving dinner.


	10. Your Lawyer Is In A Crappy Strip Mall

**Do not own. Just play.**

**A note: **_So many thanks to all of you for reading and __**reviewing**__ my humble little story. I'm absolutely flattered by all your kind words and you really do make writing worth it! Love it!_

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**Chapter Ten**

**Your Lawyer Is In A Crappy Strip Mall**

…_Angela…_

I didn't expect Jasper's all-powerful lawyer/private investigator extraordinaire to have an office in a rundown, half empty strip mall in one of the worse parts of Seattle, but he did. I trusted Jasper completely so I didn't ask any questions.

"Jenks is the nervous type," Jasper explained as we walked through the parking lot under one umbrella. "I'll do as much of the talking as I can but you'll have to do some of it."

"Bella said you deliberately terrify him. She said I should mention her and make him relax a little." I laughed when he rolled his eyes. "I never thought you'd admit it so easily!"

He held the frosted glass door open and let me go in first. "I did not admit it," he muttered under his breath.

"Yeah, Jasper, you did."

He only shook his head and walked toward the red-headed receptionist. I fell in step behind him and quickly decided this Jenks person was not the only person in the office terrified of Jasper based on how quickly she jumped to her feet the moment she saw him.

"What?" he said too innocently when I gave him an amused look. "I've never met her before, I swear."

I only smiled and followed him into the inner office.

The dark skinned man behind the nondescript desk lurched to his feet when he saw Jasper. It was hard to miss the beads of sweat already forming on his forehead. "Mr. Jasper," he said shakily, offering his hand then pulling it back and offering it again. "How are you?"

Jasper shook his hand, shooting me a pointed look when he did. "Mr. Jenks. This is Miss Weber," he said, gesturing me forward. "The information I sent you pertains to her."

"Yes, of course," Jenks said, offering me his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Weber."

I shook his sweaty hand and sat down in the chair he offered me. "Thank you for helping me, Mr. Jenks. Before we go any further, Bella Cullen asked me to tell you hello and that she hopes you're doing well."

His eyes flicked back and forth between me, Jasper, and some random point on the wall behind us. "Ah, yes. Mrs. Cullen is a lovely woman." He relaxed a little, apparently deciding Jasper wasn't mad about Bella sending him a message. "Tell her thank you, that I'm well, and I hope the same for her."

"I will."

He nodded and pulled four manila folders from a pile on his desk. "Let's get down to business, shall we? Mr. Jasper sent me the note the man in question left with you. There was a partial phone number, a very poorly written name, and a partial fingerprint that I've determined is not yours.

"Now, Miss Weber," he paused to lean forward and look at me with kind, weary eyes, "I have to tell you that fingerprint wasn't useful at all. There was enough for me to run it in the systems that I have access to, but there was no firm match. What that means is either that the man is not in the criminal justice system or that there just wasn't enough there.

"From the three numbers on the note and the partial name, I have been able to come up with six men in the United States whose names contain letters in that order and have phone numbers with that specific combination of numbers." He tapped the folder on top of the pile. "I have their photographs from the DMV here. If you could look at them and see if you recognize anyone, that would be the best place to start."

I took the folder that he slid across the desk and chewed the inside of my cheek. I'd been clutching the arm of the chair with my left hand and Jasper pried my fingers off and squeezed my hand. That gave me the strength to open the folder.

My heart hammered in my chest when I got to the fourth photo – Kyle Whitman of Walla Walla, Washington. "That's him. I'm sure of it," I announced. "I remember that he had one blue eye and one gray eye."

Jenks took the folder back and wrote something on a yellow legal pad.

"What do I do now?" I asked quietly.

Jasper answered, because Jenks was busy on his computer. "You'll need to have a DNA test done on the baby and we'll compare it to his DNA to make sure it's him. When we prove that it is, Jenks will work to get whatever you want from the father."

"If I may, Miss Weber," Jenks interrupted nervously. "In case you were worried about things like amniocentesis or CVS, because they are invasive procedures, I can give you the name of a clinic in Coeur d'Alene that will do a SNP microarray DNA test. It isn't at all invasive and its 99.9% accurate."

"Yes, thank you," I said. I answered quickly because I'd been worried about both of the other tests.

"I'll have my receptionist make an appointment for you. Now, am I right to assume that you do not want to speak to Mr. Whitman face-to-face, that you'd prefer I handle all the arrangements?"

I nodded, clutching Jasper's hand.

"Not a problem, Miss Weber. Now for a more difficult question; what do you want from Mr. Whitman? Do you want him to acknowledge that he is the father? Do you want child support? Do you want him to have some custody of the child?"

I flexed my jaw and tried to think of how to answer. "I… I didn't know his full name until now," I said slowly, "so the thing that's most important to me is, I suppose, that he acknowledge her enough that he would be available to her if she ever had some sort of medical problem that she needed a family connection for. Could you do that?"

"Yes, ma'am." He wrote that down on the pad and looked up again. "What else?"

I exhaled deeply and tried to relax my shoulders. "Since he'll know about her, I suppose we could share custody if he wanted. I want primary custody, though, as much as possible. But I can't keep her from him if he wants to know her."

He wrote that down too and looked at me expectantly.

"I don't know what to do about child support," I admitted helplessly. "What do you think I should do? Jasper? Mr. Jenks?"

Jasper looked me in the eye for a long moment. "Let me take care of that part?"

I probably agreed to that too fast but I didn't care.

Jasper smiled and squeezed my hand again. "Why don't you go out to the waiting room and make the appointment for the DNA test with the receptionist? I'll take you to Coeur d'Alene whenever you make it for. While you do that, I finalize Jenks' fee and other details here, okay?"

I made the appointment for the Wednesday and sat on a cracked plastic chair while I waited for Jasper to emerge. I momentarily hoped Jasper wasn't frightening Jenks too much but my mind was far more focused on everything that had just happened. I knew some of it wasn't strictly legal and it was kind of unnerving to realize that I didn't really care. I felt like it should bother me more that Jenks had access to DMV photos and crime database fingerprints for the whole country, but I couldn't make myself care.

In the end, I decided it was just a part of hanging around with immortal vampires.

Which was a strange thought in and of itself.

"You okay?" Jasper asked when he emerged from the office. "Did you make the appointment?"

"I'm fine. The appointment is Wednesday at noon." I stood up and let him help me put my coat on. "How long do you think this will all take?"

"A week, two at most." He pulled the door open and followed me back into the rain. "I'm going to make sure it all gets taken care of as quickly as possible for you."

I ducked under the umbrella he opened and looked at him warily. "Do I want to know?"

"How about this," he suggested, "how about when you aren't asking that question anymore, I'll tell you?"

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. Where are we going now?"

"Check into the hotel?"

The mere thought of a bed and relaxing made me yawn. I laughed as I covered my mouth. "Yes, that sounds perfect. Did you get a hotel that has room service? And ice cream?" When he started to protest I shook my head. "Your lawyer is in a crappy strip mall, Jasper, don't blame me for judging where you might get a hotel."

He opened the car door, holding the umbrella over me as I got in, and then bent down to my level. "Touché, I suppose. But, for your information, I reserved a suite at the Fairmont Olympic which is Seattle's ritziest hotel so it'd better have room service and more ice cream than you could ever possibly want."

"Sounds good to me," I said, trying to pull the door shut and force him out. "Let's hurry."

…_Jasper…_

I traded the bellhop a $5 tip for the hot fudge ice cream sundae and handed that to Angela when she emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas. "See? Ice cream. I told you they'd have it."

She stuck her tongue out but didn't refuse the glass dish. "I shouldn't eat it, though," she said as she sat down on the couch.

I scratched my head when she only stared at it. "Why shouldn't you eat it?"

"The books say I should have gained between seventeen and twenty-four pounds at this point, and I've gained twenty-six pounds."

I sat beside her and grabbed the spoon from the dish, scooping out a huge pile of ice cream and holding it in front of her. "Eat the ice cream, Angela. Unless your doctor tells you to worry about sugar levels and gestational diabetes, eat the ice cream."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You learned that in school at some point, right?" she said through clenched teeth, apparently not yet ready to eat the ice cream.

"Yes," I lied, sort of. I probably had learned it at some point but I knew it then because I had a reason to care about things like that – her. "Don't make me make you eat the ice cream, Miss Weber."

"Fine." She let me feed her the now dripping spoonful. "But if my doctor yells at me next time I'm on the scale, I'm blaming it on you."

I offered her another spoonful and shrugged. "Fair enough, but if you have a doctor who actually yells at you about things, I think you need a new doctor."

She shook her head and tried to seem annoyed but failed. Instead, she ate more ice cream. "By the way," she said, licking a bit of fudge off her lip, "I'm kind of in love with this hotel."

"Better than my lawyer's office?"

She nodded and held the spoon in her mouth and the dish in one hand while she pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and draped it over herself. "Much better. I know I already put pajamas on, but I want to take a bath in that tub. But I'd probably end up stuck."

"You're developing some serious self-esteem issues there, darlin'."

"Aha!" she exclaimed abruptly. "You do talk Texan. I knew it."

I grinned and leaned back as I watched her eat. "Of course I do, but I save it for special occasions like when I'm trying to distract someone from worrying and make them laugh."

She exhaled deeply and smiled shyly. "I am being silly, aren't I?"

"About your weight, maybe," I allowed, "but I'd bet my boots that there's something else beneath those superficial worries. So, you wanna spill, darlin'?"

Absently stirring her ice cream, creating something vaguely resembling mud rather than ice cream and fudge, Angela sighed. "I suppose I'm just nervous about all the stuff we talked to Jenks about, and that it's getting closer to the day when I'll be a mother. Everything in between that too."

I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees. "Are you having second thoughts about something? Anything? Everything?"

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head firmly. "Not second thoughts, just nerves. I mean, I'm nervous… about everything. You can feel my emotions, am I having a panic attack yet? Would I be if you weren't manipulating you me? If you are manipulating me."

"You're close to a full-fledged panic attack," I confirmed. "I'm not manipulating you and I wouldn't without your permission. Even if you asked me to, I'm not sure I would right now. You need to feel these things. My erasing them now won't help the nerves go away, they'll just come back later."

She shoveled a huge heap of melted ice cream into her mouth and groaned softly. "I figured as much. Do you have any better ideas for getting rid of nerves?"

I shook my head but motioned for her to turn her back to me. I was going to do something that made me very nervous but I squelched the feelings and put my hands on her shoulders. I'd given Alice massages thousands of times and she always said I was very good at it, that it relaxed her. Logically, all I had to do was carefully temper the force I used and, with any luck, give Angela a massage rather than breaking her bones. "Do you not want me to touch you?" I asked before I moved a finger.

I feel a brief moment of hesitation but she shakes it off quickly. "No, please do. I trust you, Jasper."

So I started rubbing her shoulders. At first I barely touched her, then she leaned back into my hands and I pressed a little harder. The soft sigh she gave made me smile and I relaxed along with her.

She fell asleep in my arms fifteen minutes later and I carried her into the bedroom and laid her down in the center of the bed. She'd wrapped her arm around my neck and she didn't let go when I tried to slide my arm out from beneath her. So I stayed with her.

As the night wore on and her body and mind relaxed into a deep, seemingly dreamless sleep, I siphoned her emotions and used them to strengthen my resolve about what the future held for me and for Angela. The simple fact was that I couldn't imagine my life without her in it. It didn't matter how anyone defined certain words that might imply why I wanted her in my life. I just did.

"Morning, sugar," I murmured when I felt her stir against me.

Her cheeks flushed when she realized she'd slept on me, and the rush of blood didn't make me thirsty… that had never happened before. "Were you really bored all night?" she asked shyly.

I shook my head and brushed her hair back over her ear. "No. Weren't you really uncomfortable? I'm told our bodies feel like rocks to humans."

She scrunched her nose and pressed her face into my chest when she yawned. "Hard as rock, yes, but weirdly comfortable for a rock. Maybe it's because you're so smooth." Even she laughed when she said it.

"Please don't ever tell Emmett you said that," I requested, giving a defeated sigh. "I would never live that down. Ever."

She pushed herself up on her elbow, ran her fingers the length of her lips and then twitched them in an x over her heart. "Mum's the word. So what did you think about all night long?"

"You." I hadn't meant to say it so bluntly, but it felt good. I smiled when she smiled genuinely while tucking the pillow under her arm and propped herself up to face me. "Yes, Angela, I was thinking about you."

"Anything specific?" she asked, pretending not to be too interested but failing badly. "Anything I should know? I don't need to worry, do I?"

"Not unless you have a problem with a vampire deciding he can't imagine his life without you." I waited for her to react badly but she didn't. "You're good with that?"

She chewed her bottom lip and nodded. "Yep, definitely good with that. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, and I've been a lot of places. I don't know about becoming a vampire, especially because of the baby and the fact that I want her, but I want you to be in my life. And in her life."

She grabbed my hand and put it on her stomach. I felt the baby kick. I'd felt it before, but always accidentally. I didn't move my hand.

She leaned forward and kissed me quickly, jerking back with feelings of surprise rather than shock or fear.

I met her halfway then and kissed her just as quickly before I pulled back too. "I should go order your breakfast," I mumbled as I left the room.

I ordered her breakfast, with extra that I wouldn't eat.

She was in the doorway of the bedroom when I turned around.

"I'm, I'm so-," she paused and shook her head. "I'm not sorry I kissed you. I'm sorry if I shouldn't have because of the ghosts in our past, but I'm not sorry that I did it."

"I kissed you back, didn't I?" I reached out and took her hands. "I'm not sorry you kissed me. I'm glad you kissed me. And I'm so happy I kissed you back."

Her smile, and the happiness she felt, sent ripples of warmth through me. "I am too," she murmured softly."

* * *

**One more note: **_I got flustered again with this story (but a few chapters down the line) and once again the ridiculously lovely, sweet, and patient __**Emma Ro **__has been brilliant and got me back on track. Some things you'll see soon enough are ALL her inspiration! It's going to be AWESOME!_


	11. The Punch Line of Every Bad Joke

**Just playing. Nothing more.**

**Moving along to a new chapter…**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

**The Punch Line of Every Bad Joke**

…_Angela…_

"I think I'm going to move in with Jasper."

Christa dropped the package of purple onesies she'd been holding and bumped into the cart, ramming it into the shelf. "Say what now?"

I trailed my fingers over brightly colored packs of baby washcloths and repeated myself word for word. "What do you think?"

She abandoned the cart and followed me down the aisle. "What do I think? What do I think about the fact that you just randomly announced you're moving in with Jasper?"

"I'm _thinking_ about it," I corrected her. "And yes, what do you think about that?"

"Um, well, gee." She grabbed my arm and kept me from walking further. "Why did you decide you might move in with him? Are you in love with him? Did he ask you to move in?"

"Not in love, no. At least I don't think so." Against her obvious wishes, I went back to looking for baby items to scan for the registry for the shower she was making me have. "But I want him to be in my life and the baby's life. He said he wants me in his life too.

"He didn't ask me to move in, exactly. He said that he thought it would make sense if I did because my apartment is one bedroom and so small that I'd be overrun with baby stuff. He said he has more room. He even said he'd move into my apartment and let me have the house if I'd rather that."

She poked me in the ribs. "And would you?"

"No way," I answered quickly, swiping the tag on a pack of cute socks. "I can't be all the way out there alone. Not a chance."

"So you're going to move in with him?" she asked slowly. "Yes?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Probably, though." I giggled a little when I realized how stupid I sounded. "What I'm trying, and failing miserably, to say is that I want to move in with Jasper. But he did say that if I want to have you around, whether he's there or at my apartment, you're welcome there any time."

"I better be," she scoffed, turning back to get the cart. "He can try and keep me away. So not happening, Ang. Anyway, I think it makes sense for you to move in there. You need more room for all the stuff you're going to get at your baby shower, and just plain need for the baby. I could be wrong but Jasper seems to be filthy, awesomely rich so he probably won't make you pay rent or anything, and he'll probably pay the rent on your apartment if you keep it, so you'd be saving a load of cash."

"I'm not turning Jasper into my sugar daddy, Christa," I protested, shivering a little at the way she put it. "I really like him. Because of that most of all, but also because of logicalness and money, I think it's a good idea. Do you?"

"Yep, absolutely. I'm proud of you for deciding it is a good idea." She hugged me and pushed the cart with one hand while tugging me along with the other. "Just let me and Nate know when you need help moving and we're there."

I let her have the bar-code reader because she kept telling me what to scan. "I will. And does that mean you and Nate are officially an item now?"

Her smile was basically from ear to ear. "Yes, we are. We officially declared ourselves that last night. Isn't that awesome?"

"Very much so," I agreed, hugging her that time. "I'm sorry you guys are covering for me and Jasper right after you come to the conclusion about yourselves."

"No worries. We celebrated the conclusion last night," she said airily, even as she winked at me.

"Christa!"

She laughed and made a sharp right turn into the baby clothes section. "Don't worry, it wasn't some drunken, nameless, no protection encounter like yours. Come on, let's scan a bunch more stuff and then I'll drop you off at Jasper's so he can take you to Coeur d'Alene."

I felt like I should have been offended by the way she phrased it, but I wasn't. Maybe I was finally learning to live with, and own, what happened. I was good with that.

We finished scanning stuff and bought some things with money my dad had sent, then she drove me to Jasper's on the promise that she'd put the bags in my apartment. "Take care of her, Jasper," she yelled out her window. "Bring her back the same way I'm leaving her with you!"

He saluted her as opened my door and offered me his hand. "As long as you didn't wear her out too much shopping," he countered.

"I am not a kid you two are sharing custody of," I muttered as I got out of the car. "Knock it off. Thanks again for covering for me, Christa. And thank you for taking me to Coeur d'Alene, Jasper."

"You knock it off, Ang," Christa said as she searched for her favorite radio station. "As in, stop thanking us. I don't know about Jasper, but I'm very much aware that you are and always will be eternally thankful that you met me because of all the amazing things I bring to your life and do for you. Got it?"

I looked at Jasper to see if he agreed and when he nodded, I flipped them both off. "Come on, Hale," I snapped, playing up my frustration for Christa's benefit because I knew Jasper would be able to see through it easily. "Let's get this show on the road."

I fell asleep in what seemed like seconds after Jasper started driving and I didn't wake up until Jasper tapped my shoulder and whispered that we'd arrived.

"I slept for two hours?" I asked, having checked how long the drive would take. The clock in his car, however, told me that the drive only took about an hour and twenty minutes. "Or was there literally no traffic whatsoever? Even is Spokane?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "It's just how vampires drive."

"Fast?"

"Mm-hmm. Anyway, I knew we'd be cutting it close with when we left so I thought you might like a few extra minutes to go to the bathroom or get something to eat or drink." He hit the switch to roll up his window and shook his head. "In my own defense, I was going to ask you if that's what you wanted, but you fell asleep really, really fast."

"Sorry. I guess I was more tired than I thought." It was my turn to be sheepish. "Anyway, I'm too nervous to eat but the stuff the clinic emailed me said I can drink stuff so can we get some juice before we go to the appointment?"

"You can get some juice," Jasper clarified, pointing out the windshield. "Look how I anticipated you wanting juice… parked right in front of the Jamba Juice."

He got in line to get me a small carrot juice while I went to the bathroom, then met him back in the front where he was still in line. "This place is busy," he said, linking his fingers through mine.

"I know. Two women in the bathroom tried to pat my stomach and one succeeded. And that was after they all let me cut in line. I'd rather have waited than have them decide they deserved it because they let me go first." I glanced around and was happy to note that the one woman who I hadn't managed to avoid was definitely within earshot of my rant.

"Tell me how you really feel," Jasper whispered in my ear. "Although I have to admit that seeing you dodge the two women would have been very interesting, and possibly amusing. Did you hit them?"

I pulled out my phone and sent Emmett the usual text; punch Jasper when you see him. "I hope he's keeping a tally," I muttered as Jasper handed me my juice.

"I have no doubt he is," he assured me. "Ready to get this part over with?"

I was.

And it was over in no time. The doctor arranged with Jasper that Jenks, who obviously hadn't given any more information that absolutely necessary, would be sent the DNA test results and he'd let us know if it was a match. He promised me, all three times that I asked him, that it would be done in less than 72 hours.

That made me happy.

Jasper took me to dinner then back to Jamba Juice for more carrot juice, my biggest pregnancy craving, to tide me over on the way home. When I rued the fact that Colville had no juice place, he promised to look up how to make carrot juice and never let me be without it.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"Me and Jasper will carry this stuff out to Nate's truck," Christa announced suddenly, shoving a clear plastic storage box into my arms. We, along with Nate, Bev, and Angela's would-be grandmothers, were helping her pack up her apartment so she could move in with me.

Angela looked at me quizzically but I only shrugged. "I guess I'm taking this out to Nate's truck."

"Yep," Christa agreed. "You are. Let's move."

I pretended to have trouble balancing the box and holding the doors open for her at the same time, but it was clear she had something on her mind and hardly noticed at all. "What's up?" I asked as I put my box, and then her box, in the bed of the truck. "Why'd you need to talk to me alone so badly?"

"That obvious?"

I nodded. "Yes. That obvious. No one missed it, Christa."

"Oh well," she laughed. "Let them wonder. Now, what I need to talk to you alone about is the baby shower I'm giving Angela. I'll be there, of course, along with Bev and the _Golden Girls _wannabes. A few more people who are regulars at the restaurant too, but I need your help. Do you know how I can contact Angela's mother to see if she'll come or if there are any other women in her family who might come? Do you think her mother will come?"

"Phone," I said, holding my hand out so she'd give me her phone. I talked while I put Angela's parents' phone number in her address book. "Her mother will come, I'm sure. They're going to Guatemala for Christmas, though, so call soon to make sure. I have no idea if she has other women who will come."

"What about Angela's friends from school?" she said when I handed the phone back. "You went to school with her."

"I did, but I actually don't know if she's told any of them that she's pregnant. Ask her mother about that too."

She typed something into her phone and nodded. "What about your sister? You have one, right? Would she come? And if she would, can I have her address? Or anyone else she knows through you?"

"Two sisters," I corrected her. "Two sisters and a niece. They'll all come, I think. I might know three other people," I added, thinking of Rachel Black and Leah and Sue Clearwater; all of whom Angela had talked to a lot since Thanksgiving.

She handed her phone over again. "I solemnly vow not to spam them with stuff, I just want to send invitations."

I gave her their information and gave the phone back. "Anything else?"

She considered her answer briefly and shook her head. "Nope, not that I can think of."

I stopped her before she headed back inside. "If you need any help paying for the shower," I said, hedging my bets that she'd figured out I didn't really need to the job I had, "just ask, okay? I'm happy to help if I can."

She gave me a one-armed hug and nodded. "Don't worry, Jasper, I won't be shy about things like that. I know you're Scrooge McDuck rich."

I sighed and let her lead me back inside, she was apparently not at all bothered by the temperature of my skin.

Angela cornered me as soon as she could and demanded to know what Christa had wanted.

"Stuff," I said vaguely, smirking when she huffed in frustration.

"It's about the baby shower, isn't it?" she guessed. "But what could you have to do with that?"

"Christa!" I called out. "Christa, Angela's trying to get me to tell her what we talked about outside."

She was beside us in an instant, scowling at Angela. "Come on, Ang, you promised you wouldn't ask a lot of questions or complain. That counts if you do it to Jasper too."

"Why would it count if I do it to Jasper?" she asked.

"Angela, dear," Mrs. Baker said as she joined us, "just relax. Whatever Jasper and Christa talked about, I'm sure it will be fine and you'll love it in the end."

She exhaled deeply. "Fine. You're right, Mrs. Baker. Thank you."

"Of course. Now, there's just a few things left to pack up so why don't you and Jasper drive over to his house and get ready for the rest of us to bring things. That way we'll know exactly where everything should go."

Mrs. Gresham pointed out, before Angela or I could answer, that it'd make more sense for Mrs. Baker to drive Angela herself while I helped carry heavy things. No one could argue with that, so that's what we did.

The three remaining old ladies and Bev immediately started pestering Christa with questions about the baby shower so Nate and I grabbed boxes and escaped downstairs to his truck. "My apartment has way too much pink baby stuff in it," he declared when we were alone. "Christa's hiding things there since Angela visits her. No offense, but I can't wait for this shower to be over. Did she bug you about it?"

"Just asked for phone numbers and addresses," I said.

"Lucky." He clearly wasn't in a hurry to go back inside, given the fact that he leaned lazily against his truck. "Of course, you are letting Angela and the baby in with you so I suppose you'll be buried in pink baby stuff."

"By choice, though, so…" I was interrupted when my phone rang. It was Jenks. "I need to get this."

Nate nodded and went back inside the building.

When I finished talking to Jenks, I was eager to tell Angela what he said but I knew I wouldn't be alone with her for while so I got back to work.

Angela wasn't declared moved, and settled – because there was apparently a difference – in until after the sky got dark. That's when Christa, Nate, and Bev made the older ladies leave us alone.

I was in the kitchen when Angela finished thanking them and came to find me. "Would like tuna casserole, chicken casserole, or vegetable casserole for dinner?" I asked, peering at the labels on the Tupperware that had appeared in my refrigerator at some point during the day.

"Chicken," she decided. She sat down at the table, apparently content to let me make it for her without a protest. "Just microwave that little round dish with the green top for five minutes on high, without the top on but a paper towel should be over it so it doesn't splatter."

"I was just going to ask you that," I laughed as I followed her instructions. When it was heating up, I poured her a glass of carrot juice and leaned against the counter. "Jenks called."

Her knuckles turned white around the glass. "What did he say?"

"The DNA test was a perfect match, so Kyle Whitman is her father. Jenks went ahead and contacted him." I moved and sat down across from her, leaning forward so she'd look up at me. "Whitman remembers you, vaguely, but he doesn't want anything to do with the baby. He signed papers through his own lawyer and Jenks saying that he'll always be available for medical issues. He said he's willing to work out some sort of child support, on the condition that it be kept as secret as possible."

She looked up from the juice and stared at me. "He wants child support kept secret? What does that mean?"

"It means that he's doing something with his life that he can't have anyone know that he's got a child."

"What's he doing?"

I chewed the inside of my lip and tried to figure out how best to put it. "He's becoming a Catholic priest, Angela," I said, opting for the Band-Aid theory of delivering news. "He's in the final stages of becoming a priest."

She put her head down on the table and groaned loudly. "A Lutheran minister's daughter got knocked up by a soon to be Catholic priest? Why do I have to be the punch line of every bad joke?"

I walked around the table and hugged her. "You're not a punch line, Angela. He wants it kept secret, so no one has to know anything. It never has to go beyond this." I nudged at her chin until she looked up at me. "The child support he suggested is a five million dollar trust fund that his grandparents will set up for the baby. You'd get a certain amount every month from one of their companies and the rest will go to her when she turns eighteen or twenty-one, you could decide that."

"Eighteen, tell Jenks to make it eighteen," she decided. "And I'm still letting you make decisions about all that other stuff like how much money is acceptable."

I kissed her temple and nodded. "Got it."

And then she started to laugh. A lot. She didn't even stop when the microwave beeped. She laughed until she cried.

I let it go because I knew it was pure relief at having one thing settled and pure amusement at how it ended up.

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**Review! Please! (Yes, I'll beg this time!)**


	12. You're Getting Slap Happy Again

**Still only playing, not owning.**

**A note: **So things are going well, no? I hope they are because I'm still having fun writing this story so I hope you're still having fun reading it. You should know, though, that if I skim over any pregnancy/baby parts it's because I don't kids and I'm only as good as what Google and the much lovelier Emma Ro tell me. You'll still get the idea. I hope!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

**You're Getting Slap Happy Again**

…_Angela…_

The restaurant was closing for the holidays and wouldn't open again until late January. I don't know if it made the best business sense to close the week before Christmas and not open again until everyone went back to school and work but it was Bev's business and her choice. She didn't want to stress over work and family stuff so she closed the place.

Being due at the end of February, I wouldn't be back at the restaurant until sometime in April, at the earliest. Even though I was pretty sure Jasper would never let me or my daughter want for anything, I was still going to get a paycheck though because Bev wasn't shutting down her antique shop website and had put me in charge of it. Jasper had already volunteered to help me, on the condition that he not be paid for it. Even more than that, though, Bev had convinced her brother-in-law to hire me and Jasper, with him still not being paid, to create a website for his landscaping company.

So I got ready for my last day of work.

Jasper drove, because he was going to work too and because my bump was just the right size to make me nervous about driving.

"What?" I said when he inexplicably laughed.

"You're finally relaxed and settled in, that's all," he said, smirking as he glanced at me.

I absently rubbed at my ribs, where my daughter's head was lodged awkwardly. "How do you know that?"

"You haven't apologized for taking the main bedroom in days and you didn't thank me for driving you to work or making your breakfast."

"Nor did I try and convince you to take pay for working on the websites," I pointed out.

"That too. I really am glad you're relaxing and being okay with all this. You deserve it."

"I think I'm realizing that I do," I admitted as he parked next to Christa's car.

"Do what?" Christa said as she opened my door and helped me out before Jasper could. "Jasper?"

She said it in such a low whisper that I could hardly hear her but I still blushed furiously because I knew Jasper heard her loud and clear. "Shut up," I muttered.

She grinned and shrugged as we walked into the restaurant. "Whatever. You know you want to."

"I am so glad today is the last day of work."

"You know you're not getting rid of me that easily," she pointed out impishly. "I have to leave over Christmas but then I'll be back to bug you some more."

"I'm so not talking about this now, Christa." I didn't even care if it sounded like I was pleading with her. I even wanted to talk about it, a little, just not when Jasper was close enough to hear and he had to be a lot further away not to hear than she would think.

She finally gave in and went into the storeroom to get her apron.

Aprons were pointless on me and Bev had given me permission to just clip my nametag to my shirt, so I got right to work and took orders from the four ladies who clearly were up to something as they giggled and glanced at me nervously.

"What are they up to?" I asked Nate as I turned in my slip in the kitchen.

"Who? The Golden Girls?" He laughed when I rolled my eyes. "No idea. It is Christmas, though, so I'm sure they've got something up their sleeves. Did you hear they're all going to be out of town for the holidays?"

"All four of them?"

"Yep, visiting their kids in different states. You better believe that when I've got grandkids, my kids better bring them to me for the holidays."

"I'm with you there," I said absently as I realized that I was kind of sad they wouldn't be around for the holiday. With my own family in Guatemala and Christa leaving for Colorado to visit her family, I was glad I'd already made sure Jasper was staying in town. A lonely, solo Christmas was not something I could handle.

"Give me ten minutes on their orders," Nate said, bringing me out of my contemplation. "I saw them come in and they always order the same thing so I went ahead and got started."

When I went back ten minutes later to get their soup and sandwiches, Jasper was already there with the loaded tray in his hands. "You can give it to them but I'm carrying it," he told me. And then he interrupted me when I started to protest. "You know they'll yell at me if I let you carry it so just deal with it, alright?"

I stuck my tongue out at him and led the way to their booth. They quit talking as soon as I got close, making me both suspicious and nervous while still confirming my theory that they were up to something. "Ready for your lunch, ladies?"

"Oh, look how sweet Jasper was to carry the tray for you," Mrs. Gresham all but cooed openly. "Isn't that nice of him, girls?"

I ignored Jasper's smirk and took the bowl of minestrone off the tray and put it in front of her. "I hear you're all leaving for the holidays?" I said before the others could answer her.

"Just the one," Mrs. Baker said as I passed the rest of the food out. "We'll all be back by New Year's. What are you doing for Christmas, Angela? Is your family coming here?"

"No, they're going on a mission trip to Latin America. It was planned before I got pregnant," I explained when I realized they were a little bit scandalized by what I said. "I'm staying here for Christmas."

Mrs. Lewiston glanced between me and Jasper, who was still standing behind me, and then seemed to muster up the courage to say what was on her mind. "What about you, Jasper? Do you have family you're visiting for Christmas?"

"No, ma'am, I'm spending Christmas with Angela," he said, bumping his shoulder against mine. "If you'll excuse me, ladies, I see a customer over in the antiques."

I wasn't even mad that he left me alone with them after dropping that tidbit of information. I just smiled and confirmed that he was. "Since his parents died at Christmastime, he and his family haven't celebrated very much."

Mrs. Quinlan gasped, chicken salad sandwich frozen in mid-air halfway to her mouth. "His parents died? At Christmas?"

I nodded and glanced over my shoulder, and I didn't miss Jasper's shrug of letting me go with the story. "During the holiday season, yes. His girlfriend died in the same accident. So we're just going to be sort of quiet about it together." As I said the words, I realized I was letting them in a little bit while, at the same time, probably keeping them a little bit out because maybe they wouldn't press the matchmaking thing quite so hard if they knew Jasper had lost so much.

"That's so lovely you'll have each other then," Mrs. Quinlan said softly. "Will you celebrate New Year's with him too?"

"I have no idea," I admitted. "I think I'll just play it all by ear, you know."

They all nodded in understanding so I left them to their lunch and walked to meet Jasper by the register. "Sorry if you didn't want me to tell them that," I whispered.

He shook his head and handed the woman buying some kitschy Christmas decorations her change. "It's fine. I was figuring they'd start asking me about my past and I'm a big chicken so I used you to tell them. Now they either won't ask me or they'll ask you about me. I'm sorry if I shouldn't have used you like that."

I waved him off and sat on the stool behind the counter. "You trust me to tell your story. I'm good with that. Honored by it, actually."

"Happy to oblige, sugar," he drawled sweetly. "I'm thinking we should have a movie day for Christmas, not even with Christmas movies if you don't want to watch them. Just stay at home and watch stuff."

"Ooh, I like that. Can we, or at least I, spend the day in pajamas?"

"We, because I do own pajamas – or at least because I will by then, can certainly spend the day in pajamas," he agreed.

"It's going to be an awesome Christmas." I snagged his smartphone from his pocket and started looking at Netflix. "I'll pick three movies and you pick three, Christmas or otherwise, because you are so not conning me into picking all the movies because you're chivalrous and I'm a woman."

"I would never con you into anything," he said, dramatically aghast at the idea, "but it's a deal."

I got more excited about the movie marathon as the day wore on. I was in such a good mood that I didn't even mind it when the ladies each gave me three wrapped packages, and Jasper one, and made us swear not to open them until at least Christmas Eve.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

A few days later, we were at home watching mindless reality shows when the doorbell rang. I slid out from underneath Angela and made sure she was comfortable on the throw pillows on the couch and went to answer the door.

I wasn't surprised to see Jenks himself standing at the door.

"Everything's in order, sir," he told me. "All the papers have been signed by Mr. Whitman, his grandparents, and his attorney. I just need Ms. Weber's signature on them and I will file everything with the court."

I took the brown envelope from him but didn't let him inside. "She's sleeping right now. Go to the coffee shop in town and I'll bring you the signed papers."

He was about to leave when Angela's voice stopped him. "I'm not asleep anymore," she said, before turning to me. "If it's alright, can he just come inside and we take care of it now?"

Against my better judgment, I let Jenks inside. Angela led him to the kitchen and took a seat at the round table. I handed her the envelope and let Jenks' take over.

"Mr. Whitman has signed away all parental rights but legally bound himself to the child as the biological father, in case of medical necessity. His grandparents have set up the trust for your child and only need you to sign off on it, and choose someone to oversee the fund with someone of their choosing." He offered her a tentative smile. "After that, everything will be taken care of and you'll be entirely free to live the life you want to live."

She ran her teeth over her bottom lip, having somehow taught herself to do that rather than actually biting it since she met me, and sighed. "Does the trust fund need a… financial advisor or someone official? Something like that?"

"No, it can be a family member or a friend," Jenks said. "It can't be you, according to their stipulations, but the only other requirement is that it be someone you trust."

With her nose scrunched up thoughtfully, she looked at me. "Will you do it?"

"Of course. I'm honored."

She smiled and turned back to Jenks. "Will Kyle be on the birth certificate?"

"He's essentially left that up to you," he explained. "He can be listed on the birth certificate, the spot for the father can be left blank, or you can list someone else in place of Mr. Whitman. Whichever you choose, he will still be legally listed in case of medical issues."

That seemed to calm her nerves some. "When do I have to decide all that?"

"Washington law requires only that a birth certificate be filed within ten days after the birth. That's when you'll need to have the baby's name chosen by and that's when you'll need to have made a decision about the father issue."

She calmed even more. "Thank you, Mr. Jenks. You've made this so much easier than I expected it to be."

"That's my job, ma'am." He flipped through the papers and offered her a pen. "Ready to sign and tie up these details?"

She scrawled her name everywhere he told her to and I signed for partial oversight of the trust fund. I left Angela in the kitchen and walked Jenks to the door. He accepted the messenger bag of cash I offered him without a word and walked to his car.

"Feel better?" I asked when I got back to the kitchen.

"Much," she said. "So much."

"Good, I'm glad. Did you want to watch the rest of that marathon?"

"The one I fell asleep during?" she laughed. "Unless you were into it, I think I'll skip it."

"I've seen it before. The ending is dumber than the beginning." Made-for-television science fiction movies generally all feel into that character, in my humble opinion. "Did you want something to eat? Bev dropped off lasagna if you want that."

She got up and got it out of the refrigerator. "Mmm, that does sound good." She glanced at me while she cut a piece and put it on a microwavable plate. "You know, you never told me what your idea was."

"My idea about what?" I asked, even though I knew what she was talking about.

"Your idea about what I should name the baby," she said as she punched the buttons on the microwave and turned to face me. "You said you had one, and now you're in partial control of her trust fund so I really think you should tell me what it was. Or is, whatever."

"You still haven't come up with anything?" I stalled.

"Jasper," she sighed, shaking her head. "I've read three books about baby names and spent way too many hours trolling baby name websites. And I have nothing concrete to show for it so yes, I do need to know your idea."

I really couldn't believe I was helping to name a baby, but I was. "Maisie," I said. "I think you should name her Maisie."

She eyed me intently and rubbed her teeth on her lip again. "Why? Not that I don't like it, I just want to hear your reasoning, especially since you decided it so long ago."

I shrugged and got a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and put the rest of the lasagna back in. "You told Rosalie that you like timeless, interesting names. I like the name Maisie. It means pearl. Timeless."

"Does it go with Catharine?" she said, taking the water as the microwave buzzed. "Maisie Catharine? Never mind, it does. I like it." She rubbed her stomach. "Would you like to be Maisie Catharine?"

I reached around her and took out her lasagna. "Well, what did she say?"

"She said she would like it very much."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that." She sat down and took the fork I offered her. "Have you ever named a baby before?"

I shook my head. "Not that I remember, anyway. Are you sure you just want to dive right in with that name? You don't want to think about?"

"Nope. Rosalie said I'd know it when I heard it and I do. She's Maisie."

I tried to hide my excitement, and even pride, at having done something so meaningful in someone's life, but I pretty much failed at it. I knew it without a doubt when she grinned at me. "What?" I said, busying myself with the dishes in the sink. "I can't be excited?"

"You can, and I'm glad that you are. I'm excited too, aren't I?"

I took an extra second to gauge her emotional aura and nodded. "Very excited and very relieved. Whatever will you do with yourself now, Miss Weber?"

"I've got just under two months before I become a mother," she said around a mouthful of lasagna. "I figure that gives me two, maybe three, weeks to relax and then I'll be in full on panic mode."

I laughed and turned off the water, leaving one side of the sink fully of soapy water for when she finished her meal. "Sounds like a plan to me. And it reminds me, since Christa's going out of town, do you need me to go to any classes with you?"

"Just one, after Christmas. It's not a childbirth class, though."

I sighed when she didn't elaborate. "What kind of class is, Angela?"

"A five hour newborn parenting class."

"Ha," I said smugly. "Then, unless you're moving out after the baby's born, I kind of have to take the class, don't I? So I know how to take care of a newborn." The fact that I just said I would be helping to take care of a newborn made me stop and think.

She shook her head quickly when I didn't continue. "I'm not moving out."

"Good, then we're going. Are there any other classes about baby care or whatever that you think we should take since we'll be living here?" All the _we's_ in the sentence made me shake my head in disbelief. "I mean, obviously I can't be there when she's born but I'm totally up for whatever else she'll need."

Having finished her dinner, Angela stood up and kissed my cheek. "You're really excited about this, aren't you?"

"Is it weird?"

She shook her head. "No, I think it's sweet. I've got a pamphlet of other classes they offer here in Colville and in Spokane. The ones Christa's coming to are marked. And I highlighted the ones I was thinking about. I'll give it to you before I go to bed and you can see what you think we should do and what you can do."

"Don't say it," I interrupted when she started to say something else. "Don't say that I can see if I still really want to do this. I do."

I felt her guilt at being caught, but she played it off well. "I wasn't going to say that, Jasper. I was going to say that living with you and a baby will be awesome because you don't sleep and neither do babies. I'm going to be the most rested new mother on earth."

"Go to bed, Angela," I laughed. "You're getting slap happy again."

* * *

**Review? Pretty please? With cherries on top?**


	13. The Human Actually Wants To Meet Me!

**Only playing, not owning.**

**A note: **You're all still here! That's so sweet! Anyway, this is Christmas Eve… Angela and Jasper are getting some company for the holiday. I hope you like it!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Holy Crap The Human Actually Wants To Meet Me**

…_Angela…_

"Oh my god."

Jasper put the car in park but didn't turn it off. "What?"

I pointed out the window.

He leaned across and looked out my window into the dark night, made light only by the headlights of cars and the moon reflecting off the snow that was falling gently. "Again, what?"

"It's a church, Jasper."

He stayed very still for a minute then sat back in his seat. "Seriously, Angela?" he said slowly. "I drove here, you know. I know it's a church."

Silly was a good word for how I felt, but I pressed on with it. "But it's a church."

He chuckled and shut off the car. "Ask the question, Angela," he said in an almost singsong voice. "You know you want to."

Silly had become ridiculous, but I knew I'd laugh about it soon. So I asked the question. "Can you go into churches?"

"No. Absolutely not." He said it with a straight face, staring ahead, and then turned to me with an easy grin. "Why on earth would you think I would offer, _offer_ not agree when you asked, to go to a Christmas Eve service with you… at a church… if I was going to burst into flames?"

"It's not that stupid of a question," I insisted even as I felt my cheeks flush. "So you won't burst into flames, but have you gone into a church since you've been a vampire?"

"Such a doubter," he sighed ruefully. "Yes, I have. If you count Nonnberg Abbey, Westminster Abbey, and the Cathedral of Notre Dame as churches, that is."

"Nonnberg Abbey? Isn't that where _The Sound of Music _was filmed and set?"

"Mm-hmm. Alice adored that movie so we went to Austria for our anniversary one year and did the whole tour. But really, that's what you focused on in that sentence?"

I grinned and fixed my scarf. "It is. I asked a silly but serious question and got a serious but still silly answer. I'm good with that. Only, if we're going to be together for a while, will you take me to Westminster Abbey and Notre Dame one day?"

He grabbed my hand and kissed it. "Absolutely. I'll take you anywhere in the world you want to go. As long as it's Maisie-friendly. Now, can we go inside before you freeze?"

I agreed and he came around to open my door and help me out. An elderly couple parked near us commented on how nice it was the chivalry wasn't quite dead yet. The lady was even more thrilled when Jasper offered her his arm that he wasn't holding me with because the parking lot was a little slippery. So we walked inside as four person chain.

I believed Jasper when he said he could go inside a church, but my heart still skipped a beat when we stepped inside.

Nothing happened.

The elderly couple went to what were apparently their usual seats in the front of the church and Jasper and I slid into the back pew.

"We need to make younger friends besides Christa and Nate," he whispered as he took my coat and draped it over the back of the pew. "I'm starting to feel like we attract old people."

I covered a laugh with a cough. "You're just too darn charming and I'm pregnant, it's probably bound to happen."

He nodded in agreement. "Maybe we'll meet the right people in the parenting classes. Then we can have conversations about how often babies poop and throw up instead of whether we should date and if chivalry is dead or not."

"Don't talk about poop and throw up in church, Jasper," I said, covering another laugh. "I bet that wasn't allowed even when you were a little boy."

He swatted me with the program the greeter had handed us and turned his attention to the reverend who'd just come to the front of the church.

It should have felt strange to be where I was with a vampire that I was realizing I was in love with, but it didn't. Not for a second.

I watched him, though, and I don't even think he noticed me watching him because he was so focused on the service. He even sang "Silent Night" when the lights were turned out and everyone held burning candles.

"I may have been to those other places," he said as the service ended and he held my coat for me, "but it was always as a tourist. I haven't been to an actual service in a very, very long time. I'm glad I offered to bring you. I missed this, I think."

"We can come back, if you want." I was suddenly nervous so I focused on button my coat over my bump. "I haven't really come since I told my parents I was pregnant, but I know I missed it."

"Then we'll come back. It'll be good for us, and for Maisie." I was about to step into the aisle to leave when he caught my arm. "You can't yell at me because we're still in church but I have to ask, am I being too presumptuous about her? I have to know."

"No, Jasper you're not," I told him firmly. "I promise to tell you if you ever are, but you're not."

He smiled in relief and let go of my arm, taking my hand instead. "Let's go home."

Before we could get quite that far, Reverend Lewis stopped us. I'd thought he looked familiar the first time I saw him, but now I knew why. He'd stayed with my family for the summer when I was sixteen to study under my dad.

"Angela?" he said. "Angela Weber? What are you doing here?"

"I live in Colville now," I told him. "I didn't know you'd been assigned here?"

"I asked for it, actually, since I grew up in Kettle Falls. I've only been here a month. We'll have to have lunch one day and catch up."

"And we'll probably see each other on Sundays," I said to be polite and make my escape at the same time. "Jasper and I were just talking about coming back."

"Excellent, I'm glad to hear it." He shook Jasper's hand and gave me a one-armed hug. "Merry Christmas, Angela."

Jasper linked his fingers through mine and helped me down the steps as I explained how I knew the reverend.

"Small towns," he sighed, "everyone knows everyone before you even know it. Do you like him?"

"Yeah, he was really nice. He treated me like an adult instead of a pesky kid like all the other seminary students that stayed with us." I glanced at him as we crossed the parking lot. "Why? Does he seem young enough for us to be friends with?"

He pretended to look offended at the insinuation. "It depends. Is he married?" he deadpanned.

"You're incorrigible," I laughed. "And you complain about Emmett."

He unlocked the door and helped me into the car. "We're an entirely different kind of incorrigible, sugar. That's all there is to it."

On that note, we drove around Colville to look at Christmas lights before we headed home. It was another thing Jasper suggested and I didn't turn down.

I didn't know that there was a surprise waiting at home. Not until Jasper parked the car and I saw the lights of a Christmas tree twinkling in the window, something that had definitely not been there before.

"Do you still want to meet Peter and Charlotte?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," I said, even as I wondered if maybe I should've been a bit more hesitant about meeting vampires who didn't hunt animals. But I gave the honest answer so I was good with it. "Are they here?"

He nodded. "Inside, but they can leave if you've changed your mind. They'll understand."

"I want to meet your friends, Jasper, because they're your friends. I trust you to change the plans if they need to be changed."

He shook his head and got out of the car. I was used to it enough by now that I sat and waited for him to come to me. I watched him stop in front of the car and say something in the direction of the house. Then I saw two people come out. The girl waved at me, and I waved back.

Jasper opened my door. "I'm going to pick you up until they get used to you," he announced. "Remember, I won't get tired. Just tell me if I'm hurting you or if you want to leave."

I rolled my eyes. "Stop worrying or the worst will happen."

"That's what I say," a clear, light voice said from the porch. "Hi, Angela, I'm Charlotte. This is Peter. We won't hurt you. You mean too much to Jasper."

"You already know I mean too much to Jasper?" I asked curiously as Jasper held me in the driveway.

Peter laughed. "He's pretty easy to read, once you take the time to consider it."

I smiled and looked at Jasper. "I agree completely."

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"You really are in love with her," Peter said so only Charlotte and I could hear him.

I glanced at him, sitting in a chair next to the door and across the room from Angela, and nodded. "I am."

"Hey, Mr. Chivalrous," Angela said as she poked my arm, "have you forgotten that it's rude to talk about someone behind her back, or right in front of her in this particular case?"

Charlotte, sitting on the floor on the opposite side of the coffee table from where Angela and I were sitting on the couch, giggled. "You can hear us talk, Angela?"

"I can't hear words, but there's a soft hissing sound I can hear if I pay attention," she explained. "Since I'm the only human in the room, I have to figure they're talking about me. Am I right?"

"Yep."

"Charlotte," I groaned as I noticed Angela grin.

"Hey, if the boys be talkin' about a girl, the girls be stickin' together," she retorted, following up her words by offering Angela fist-bump.

"And I bet she'd even tell me what you two said," Angela said smugly, "if I really wanted her to."

"I would," Charlotte agreed, "but you'll want to hear this first for yourself. Trust me."

"Yeah, Char, humans trusting vampires is always an excellent idea," Peter laughed. "Of course, the Cullens do seem to attract ones that do."

"We're special that way," I told him.

"Special is a good word for it," he said, not even trying to keep a straight face. "How come the rest of your 'special' family isn't here anyway?"

I could feel Angela watching me, as if she was still trying to gauge if I really wanted to spend Christmas with her rather than my family. "They're in Forks, or La Push. One of the two. We just wanted to do our own thing."

"You don't mind that we came, do you, Angela?" Charlotte asked, the worry evident in her face. "We'll only stay until you go to bed."

"You'll come back, though, right?" Angela glanced at me before she looked back at the now smiling Charlotte. "I mean, I know you have to leave because I'm human and all, but could you, maybe, get used to me and come around again?"

Charlotte looked at me, and at Peter, before she focused on Angela again. "Yes, that's how we'll do it. We'll get to know you in small doses. Perfect, right boys?" We agreed and Charlotte hopped to her feet, making me jump a little. "Relax, J, I'm just going to run outside and get the Christmas presents we brought for Angela."

She was gone then, so Angela had to ask Peter her question. "You brought me Christmas presents? You really didn't have to. I didn't even know you were coming so I don't have anything for you."

"Think of them more as Charlotte's holy-crap-the-human-actually-wants-to-meet-me presents," he said gamely. "And don't worry about giving us things. We're nomads, we travel light."

"Good point," she agreed as Charlotte flitted back in the door with two very large things balanced precariously on her small arms. "Oh my goodness, Charlotte."

With the presents safely deposited on the floor, Charlotte smiled shyly. "It's only two things, they're just big."

I held her hand as she stood up and walked close to Charlotte, and I nodded when Peter circled to the other side of the room. He knew his limits and I was close enough to know that Charlotte was just fine being that close to Angela, so I stayed on the couch.

"We've been here before so I know this will work," Charlotte explained as she opened a box I knew contained photography stuff. "Jasper said you liked photography so, if you want, me and Peter and Jasper will turn that extra storage room in the basement in a place where you can develop pictures."

Angela turned to me. "This is from you too, isn't it?"

I shrugged sheepishly. "Maybe."

"Good thing I broke the rules you set and got you something too," she said, sticking her tongue out at me. Then she turned back to Charlotte. "Thank you so much."

She bounced a little and nodded. "You're welcome. Maybe, when I'm totally used to you, you can teach me how to take and develop pictures?"

"Count on it. What's in the other package?" she said, eyeing the one that was wrapped in cloth.

"Open it," Peter encouraged her. "That's the only way you'll find out, honey."

She stuck her tongue out at him and pulled on the cloth where Charlotte told her to, but then stopped and looked at me. "Do you know what this is?"

"Other than that it smells like wood, I have no idea," I told her in complete honesty. "Do what the man said and open it."

She pulled the cloth and let it drop to the floor, clapping her hand over her mouth when she saw the intricately carved crib beneath it. "Did you? You didn't? Oh, Charlotte. Peter?"

"They're funny when they can't form a coherent sentence," Peter murmured. "Yes, Angela, we did. Do you like it?"

She was running her fingers over the smooth, carved surface when she answered. "Like it? Jasper? Can you project what I'm feeling onto them? Is that part of your gift?"

"It is. You want me to?"

She nodded. "Yep. They'll understand better if I like it if you let them feel it. Charlotte won't trust what I say, I bet."

Charlotte dropped her eyes, admitting it silently.

So I 'showed' her and Peter the awe, adoration, and gratitude that Angela felt at the moment.

And then Charlotte hugged her.

Peter stayed where he was but I was on my feet in the blink of an eye, ready to get the vampire away from the human if I had to. But I didn't have to. Angela hugged her back and then they let go of each other. Charlotte looked curiously at the tear sliding down Angela's cheek, and wiped it with her thumb before I could stop her. Then she backed away, looking at her wet thumb.

"I forgot that you can cry for good reasons," she said slowly. "I'm glad I remember that now. Thanks, Angela."

She nodded and drifted back to stand by me. "Seriously, I can believe you two made this crib for me and for Maisie. And the photography room? Thank you so much."

"We like making stuff out of wood so if you want anything else; beds, dresses, boxes, tables," Peter offered, "just let us know."

Angela ran her teeth over her lip and smiled. "I'm letting you know. I have a few furniture things for Maisie but I like yours better. Will you make other stuff for her room? If I give you a list?"

Charlotte bounced again and clapped her hands together. "Yes. Give us the list and we'll start tonight. The place we got the wood from isn't far away."

She wrote out the list very quickly and I passed it to Peter.

"We're going to go now," Charlotte told us, "but we'll be back, okay?"

"You'd better be. You have a cell phone, right?" Angela asked her. "You can call me if you want."

She held up the solar powered phone I'd given them and grinned. "Give me your number."

I walked Peter to the door while the girls exchanged information. "You okay?"

"I'll hunt in Idaho," he said, answering the question I didn't ask. "I've been watching a whacked out militia man who kidnaps hitchhikers."

"I'm glad you came."

"Charlotte was right, you know. She means something to you. We won't hurt her. And we'll come back. As soon as we finish our carpentry projects."

I laughed and shook my head as Charlotte danced over. "Merry Christmas, Charlotte," I said, hugging her. "Behave out there."

They disappeared into the darkness.

I turned to Angela and sighed. "So, you met normal vampires."

"And liked them," she finished with a smile. "This crib is amazing. And the photography room… I need that badly, but I can't be around the chemicals right now so there's no rush."

"No, but there's plenty of time for it later," I said. "Are you ready for bed? We've got a long day of movie watching ahead of us tomorrow."

"I am but first I have to give you your Christmas present."

I waited while she went into the room we used as an office. When she came back, she handed me an old book. "I hope you don't have it already but I remember in junior English at Forks it was the only book you actually looked like you were reading. I thought you must like it."

I looked down and saw a first edition, 1930, signed copy of William Faulkner's _As I Lay Dying_. "You paid that much attention to me?" I shook my head and laughed softly. "I love this book, Angela. It's one of the best I've ever read and no, I don't have it. Thank you."

She smiled shyly and took a step toward the stairs, stopping only when I said her name.

"What I told Peter? What you called me on?" I chewed on my own lip. "I told him I was in love with you."

Her smile wasn't shy anymore. "I love you too."

* * *

_**Please do be reviewing! After all, you read the whole chapter and the handy-dandy review box is down just a teeny-tiny bit from right here… Thank you!**_

**Another note: **_Emma Ro _and _TheLyricalCutie_? Freakin' amazing! Love you both bunches!


	14. These Vampires Might Not Be So Bad

**Don't own it.**

_**What?! **_I'm a week late with this chapter?! My humblest apologies. In news of my excuses, I was watching _Silver Linings Playbook _and it was awesome. Also awesome? _Star Trek Into Darkness_. See? Just wasn't in a _Twilight _state of mind last week. But I'm back. Hope you like it!

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**These Vampires Might Not Be So Bad**

…_Angela…_

"These vampires might not be so bad," Leah said appreciatively as she looked around my suite at the Fairmont Olympic. "What do you think, Rachel?"

Rachel hummed her agreement. "I used to jog by this place just to dream that I'd get to stay here one day," she said dreamily. "The only problem is that you and I, Leah, have to go back to La Push. Angela, on the other hand, is with _with_ the vampires and can probably stay in better hotels than this whenever she wants."

"I like this one," I admitted.

Leah laughed and hung her garment bag on a hook on the closet door. "Another thing I'm not complaining about? Mind reading vampires handing over limitless credit cards so I can buy a dress I have exactly one place to wear it to."

"Edward gave you a card?" Rachel asked, sticking her tongue out. "My brother gave me one. It'd be better if I got it from someone else."

"I'll give you mine next time," I promised her.

"Ha, that figures," Leah exclaimed. "Two questions, Angela. One, are you going to marry Jasper or something like that? Are you going to become a vampire? And two, why did you ask us Quileutes to get ready in here with you instead of you getting ready with Jasper's vampire sisters?"

"That's three questions, Clearwater," Rachel said as she pulled her deep green halter neck dress from the garment bag. "Learn to count because you're making us natives look like uneducated schmucks."

"Shut your trap, Black," she retorted before turning to me. "Sorry, I have three questions. Had three questions. Whatever."

I took a deep breath and answered the first two as quickly as I could. "Maybe. I don't know, maybe." I took another breath and shrugged. "I like you two better than Rosalie and Bella?"

"Awesome answer," Leah declared happily. "In light of that, I'll help you get ready before I get ready, since Rachel's over there thinking only of herself."

She zipped up the back of my chocolate colored strapless, empire waist, full length evening dress a few minutes later and told me to sit down. "What musical thing are we going to see again?" she asked as she threaded her fingers through my hair and arranged it into a complicated braid of some sort.

"The Vienna Boys' Choir is performing Handel's _Messiah _with the Seattle Philharmonic," Rachel repeated in a voice that told me Leah had asked the question before. "Again, Clearwater, stop making us look like uneducated schmucks."

"Isn't that a Christmas thing?" she said, ignoring the rest of what Rachel said. "How come they're performing it on New Year's Eve?"

"I don't know and I don't care," I told her. "I've wanted to see it performed live since I was little so this is awesome any way I look at it."

Leah finished my hair and stepped back to admire her work. "Perfect," she said absently. "You can do your own makeup, right?"

"I could've done my own hair," I pointed out, "so yes, I can do my own makeup."

She stripped out of her sweatshirt and jeans in the time I answered her question. "You could have, but I did it better. Also, I wanted to do your hair because I'm jealous you get to have long hair."

"You can do mine too," Rachel offered her gamely, "after you put your dress on, though. No naked doing of my hair, thank you very much."

Leah got into her plum colored full length dress, with a v-neck that stopped somewhere around her belly button, in seconds and spun across the room to make the skirt billow out. She stopped behind Rachel and started work on her hair.

"So, you know your friend in Colville is giving you a baby shower, right?" Rachel asked while Leah worked.

"Yeah." I stayed focused on my mascara because I didn't want to show them that I was suddenly nervous. "Did Christa invite you?"

"Since you know about the shower," Leah replied, "yes, she did. Me and Rachel and my mom are all coming. Christa sent your registry information stuff but we wanted to know if there's anything specific you want or need. I mean, we know you're with Jasper so money really isn't an issue anymore but maybe there's something you don't want to ask him for?"

I mentally scanned through what I vaguely remembered scanning. "No, I don't think there's anything specific. Thanks though." No longer nervous, I looked over at her and smirked. "It's not just Jasper, you know. Her father's grandparents set up a trust fund I can use if I need to."

Rachel groaned dramatically as she sorted through her own makeup bag. "You know, for getting knocked up by a future priest at a drunken frat party, you sure did get lucky."

"Sorority party," I corrected her.

"Shut up," Leah muttered. "Where are your shoes? Are you wearing flats or heels? We're going to be late if we don't get moving."

I got my own shoes, stupidly comfortable chocolate colored heels that Jasper had picked out for me, and tucked a pair of nude ballet flats into my bag. "I'm ready."

Jacob, Paul, and Embry, Leah's date, were waiting in the hallway. In love with Jasper or not, I could appreciate how good the three of them looked in tuxedos. And no one could miss the way Embry's eyes widened when he saw the cut of the Leah's dress. She even blushed a little under his attention.

"Jasper's in there with Rosalie and Emmett," Jacob told me, gesturing toward the room Jasper's twin was staying in. "And you look really pretty, Angela."

"Thank you, Jacob," I said, smiling shyly. I smiled less shyly when Jasper came out of the room and held out his hand to me. He didn't say what he thought of my dress, I could see it in his eyes and his emotions.

"Are you supposed to be wearing heels?" he asked me instead.

"I feel prettier in heels." I opened my bag and showed him my backup shoes. "See? I'm prepared."

"Good, because we've got things to do after the Philharmonic," he said with a mischievous wink.

"If I feel up to it," I finished for him, laughing when he nodded. "Are we all ready to go?"

Jasper held out his hand to me. "We're riding with Leah and Embry."

Embry, meanwhile, had yet to stop gaping at the girl I was fairly certain he hadn't thought of as a woman before he saw her in her dress. In his defense, it was pretty clear that Leah appreciated how he looked in a classic black tux too.

Leah played Rock-Paper-Scissors with Jasper on the elevator and won the keys to the Jaguar Jasper had bought the day before. He warned her it was only for the night and, when the valet brought the car over, got into the backseat with Embry while I sat in the front with Leah.

"Can I drive on the way back?" Embry asked gamely.

"Jasper said the keys were mine for the night." Leah stuck her tongue out and shook her head. "You heard that, didn't you, Angela?"

"I did, but you could share."

She scrunched her nose and sighed. "We'll see, Call. Treat me right tonight and maybe you can drive us home."

I don't think Leah saw it, but I saw Jasper slip a credit card to Embry. I considered it a given that he'd be driving us back to the hotel.

We walked to the concert hall in a big group. Jasper, of course, was holding my hand.

"You know," Rachel said as she walked beside me, "I thought I'd feel like the homely, plain one of the group considering I'm with Bella, Rosalie, Nessie, and Leah who are pretty much perfect but I think you and I look pretty damn hot. Don't you agree?"

I laughed at her bluntness, and the look on Edward's face when she said it. "Yep, totally. I thought I'd feel like a blimp but I don't."

"You look sexy, Rach," Paul said. "And, Angela, blimp is the last thing anyone's thinking when they look at you."

I tried not to blush, but I failed. So I owned it.

We had a private box, of course, and I ended up sitting between Jasper and Edward. The few minutes before the curtain went up were amusing because of the way Jasper and Emmett teased Edward about his passion for classical music. Rosalie tried to tell them to knock it off and act their ages but they didn't listen. They only stopped when Edward called them ignorant fools and I backed him up, pointing out that classical music was scientifically proven to be good for you.

Edward kissed my cheek in thanks, and that might have been a better explanation for why Jasper shut up and focused on the stage.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

The performance was amazing. I'd heard it all before but I'd never really paid attention to the meaning. I spent part of the time watching Angela watch, and that made me appreciate it all the more. I wanted to know what she found so fascinating and I ended up fascinated too.

"What color was the backdrop on the stage?" Angela said as we left the box.

"Blue," I said, distracted by Edward's snicker. "What?"

"She doesn't think you were paying attention since you spent the whole time staring at her."

"Not the whole time." I groaned when Emmett laughed outright at my lame defense. "And you're not really one to talk, Edward."

"Maybe he isn't," Angela said sweetly as she linked her fingers through mine, "but you still stared at me. I'm not complaining, just teasing."

I blocked the elevator door and smiled. "Good, because I paid more attention to _Messiah _than I ever have before because I was watching you watch it."

"In Jasper's defense," Edward interrupted as he and Bella got on the elevator with us just before the doors slid closed, "he was paying more attention than about half the men here tonight."

Bella laughed. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure Embry spent the night try to see _through_ the fabric in Leah's dress. And I was sitting next to Emmett, Jasper, so don't let him tease you. He was playing _Angry Birds _on his phone most of the time."

"And Rosalie didn't hit him?" I asked. "How disappointing."

"I don't think she noticed," Bella replied, and Edward confirmed that she hadn't.

Angela laughed as we reached the lobby and the doors slid open. Emmett and Rosalie were waiting for us. "Emmett," she said as she stepped off, "don't forget to do what I asked."

He nodded. "I haven't forgotten. I owe Jasper a half dozen punches from you."

"Rosalie," I said, determined to get a little retaliation, "Emmett played _Angry Birds _most of the night."

"Not fair, bro," he groaned when his wife glared at him. "You know she's going to cut me off."

I shrugged, rather pleased with myself, and took Angela's hand. "Come on, we have to get the humans to the dinner reservation at Sky City in the Space Needle."

"Food?" Jacob said, appearing suddenly beside us. "Ness, you didn't tell me about reservations for dinner. Did you?"

She gave him a withering look and nodded. "Yes, I did. Come on, I'm hungry and we'll still be at the top of the Space Needle when the fireworks go off at midnight."

Angela pinched me with just enough force that I felt it and she didn't hurt herself. "Don't ask, Jasper. I'm fine and I am not missing the fireworks."

I held up my hand in surrender. "I wasn't going to ask, sugar. I trust you to tell me what you need." I kissed her cheek, ignoring the cooing sounds my sisters and my niece made and the gagging noises Leah made. "Switch to your flat shoes, though?"

She rolled her eyes. "At the restaurant, yes. Not before."

I was good with that so I amused my family by taking my keys back from Leah and playing my own round of Rock-Paper-Scissors with Embry for who would drive to the Space Needle and who would drive back to the hotel. His rock crushed my scissors.

By the time those who wanted to eat had, there were only a few minutes before midnight.

Angela leaned against me and tugged at my arms until they were around her. "What do you think?" she asked softly as we look out at the city. "Will 2011 be a good year?"

"Mm-hmm," I hummed. "It'll be one of the best in a long time, I think. What about you?"

"I predict a bump or two in the road, but it's going to be awesome." She laughed when I looked at her in alarm. "Relax, Jasper. Bumps are part of life. You wouldn't want everything to be completely smooth sailing, would you?"

"Bumps I can deal with. Just keep the mountains out of the road, alright?"

She nodded and turned back to the view.

The fireworks were loud, bright, and spectacular. And then it was 2011.

Angela fell asleep against my shoulder at 12:08.

"Take her back to the hotel," Leah told me. "Me, Embry, Rachel, and Paul are going to a few more places. We'll be fine getting back later."

"I want to go back to the hotel too," Nessie announced, "so if someone goes back with me, Leah and Embry can just ride where I did."

Edward rolled his eyes and gave Jacob a shove. "Go ahead, take her back. But behave."

Angela woke up enough to walk to the car on her own, but it was hard to say how much she was really aware of until we got back to the hotel and I had to wake her up a second time. "Do you want me to carry you to the room?" I whispered in her ear as the valet waited to take the car.

"No, that'd be embarrassing," she said. "You can put me to bed, though."

I chuckled softly and helped her out of the car. "I can do that."

Nessie offered to help Angela change out of her dress and Angela accepted the offer so I waited in the outer room with Jacob.

"Are you surprised that Paul and my sister and Leah and Embry came along?" he asked.

"A little. Are you?"

He nodded. "At least I was until Paul told me, and I quote, 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.'"

"There is truth to that," I admitted. "Angela did tell me that Leah and Rachel are happy with the credit cards, too, although Rachel wishes hers had come from Edward and not you."

"My sister is nuts," he groaned. "She'd have to be, spending all her time with Paul."

"Says the one who spends all his time with vampires," I pointed out, snickering when he muttered something vaguely unintelligible.

The bedroom door opened then and Nessie emerged. "Angela's in bed," she reported to me, "but she says she needs a massage before she goes to sleep."

I tapped my fingers to my forehead and leaned forward, kissing her on the cheek. "Thank you very much, little bug. I will go do that for her now."

She kissed me back and danced over to Jacob. "Goodnight, Uncle Jasper. Come on, Jake, we can read more of _Dracula_."

"I hate that book," he grumbled.

"I love that book," I said. "I read it every time I have to fly somewhere."

He gave me a look that made it clear he was worried about my sanity but he didn't have a chance to bug me about it because Nessie laughed and dragged him out of the suite.

"Really?" Angela said when I sat on the edge of the bed. "You read _Dracula _on planes?"

"Yep. It's so ridiculous that it's like light, easy reading. Very distracting in a tin can full of blood filled humans," I explained. "Don't worry, Alice thought it was very strange too."

"What did she read on planes?" she asked while I rubbed her calves, and didn't say that she shouldn't have worn her heels so long.

"Fashion magazines mostly, or romance novels."

"Like Harlequin romance novels? You know, with the shirtless fire-fighters on the cover?"

"Yeah, those ones. She called it research but I never did figure out what she was researching."

Angela laughed. "Things were good without any outside influence?"

"Very good," I agreed. "You don't read those types of books, do you? I've never seen them around the house but I also haven't trolled your e-reader."

She threw an extra pillow at me. "No, I don't read them. I like chick lit for light reading. You know, quilting clubs and girl talk over drinks on the beaches."

I shivered dramatically. "I think I'd rather read the shirtless fire-fighter books."

"You don't know what you're missing." She sighed deeply as the muscles in her legs relaxed and I knew she wouldn't be awake too much longer. "Keep massaging but recite _Dracula _to me, okay? Like a before bed story. You need the practice for when Maisie wants a story."

"I'm not reading _Dracula _to her, but you get what you want." So I started the story I knew by heart. Angela was sound asleep in less than ten minutes.

I moved to kiss her then I laid down beside her on top the blankets. The fact that she said I would be around to tell Maisie bedtime stories meant that 2011 would be a very good year for me. And maybe 2012 too.

* * *

**Ooh, **you're still here! Yay! Please let me know what you thought, won't you?

_Em is awesome people, loveliest beta! And TheLyricalCutie, fantastic pre-reader, she's going places!_


	15. You're Ruining Your Street Cred

**Still not owning a bit of it.**

**A Note From Me: **Okay, so this chapter might be teensy-weensy bit angsty and dramatic. Apologies in advance. Not that they're need, however, because the scoot the story right to where I want it to be. It just had to be this way, folks.

On the plus side, the Forks, WA police chief makes a timely and happy appearance so that's good.

Last but not least, I'm sorry for the time skip with the last chapter… to anyone who was left confused by it. Consider this chapter about a week after the last one ended.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

**You're Ruining Your Street Cred**

…_Angela…_

"You haven't felt any pain?"

I shook my head. "No. Should I have?"

Dr. Gerandy wrote something on the chart and shook his head. "Ideally, no, but you did collapse so we will need to monitor you for the night. You aren't opposed to staying, are you?"

"I just want Maisie to be okay. Is she?" I felt a sudden surge of panic that I tried to quell quickly.

"Yes," he said confidently. "Her heart rate is strong and the fact that you haven't had any contractions are very good signs. We still need to monitor you for a night."

"It's fine, Dr. Gerandy," I said, wishing he'd just leave me alone. "I understand and I just want to do what's best for her. I trust you."

He nodded and flipped the chart closed. "I'm on duty all night so I'll check in on you. In the meantime, you can have someone sit with you, if you want."

I wished, very much, that Jasper could sit with me but I knew he couldn't. "No. It's fine."

He gave me a long, pitying look and I realized that he knew about what had happened between me and my parents. I wanted to pull the blanket up over my head and hide. He left without saying anything else.

Leah and Sue came into the room before the door shut completely.

"What happened?" Leah demanded.

"Are you okay?" Sue asked.

I answered Sue's question first because it was easier. "I'm fine. Maisie too. I haven't had any contractions and her heart rate is fine. Dr. Gerandy said I have to spend the night for observation."

She brushed the hair off my forehead and squeezed my hand. "Do you want me to stay with you? I will if you need me. Or I'll even stay in the waiting room and only come in if you want me too."

I hadn't cried in the three hours I'd been at the hospital but I cried then. I buried my face in my hands and sobbed. I felt Sue lean over and wrap her arms around my shoulders and then I sobbed into her shirt. She didn't let go until my sobs subsided into irregular hiccups and gasps. Even then she didn't really let go, she only moved one arm.

Leah offered me a tissue and took it to the trash can after I wetly blew my nose. She gave me another one to wipe my eyes. Then we repeated it all three more times.

"Is Jasper okay?" I asked Leah once I was sort of sure I could talk without crying. "Did you see him?"

"No, but I talked to Jacob. He's with Jasper and the Cullens. Jasper's fine. Or as fine as he can be." She sat on the stool next to the bed and stared at me intently. "So what happened? Why was Jacob more than a little worried that Jasper, and possibly a member of his family or two, might go kill your family?"

I glanced at Sue and then looked back at her. "Did you tell your mom what I told you about how my parents reacted to my being single and pregnant?"

"Every word, sorry."

"Don't be, now I don't have to repeat it again."

"Do you want me to leave?" Sue asked. "You can just talk to Leah."

She was still holding my hand so I gripped her hand tightly. "No. Please stay." When she sat on the edge of the bed and didn't take her hand away, I picked up the story with that morning.

"I went to see my parents and my brothers because I hadn't seen them since Thanksgiving. I got a paper cut in the car so Jasper just dropped me off and then went to hunt. My parents, and I really thought they'd come around in time, asked me about Maisie's father. Since everything is settled, I told them as much of the truth as I could."

"Because Jasper probably pulled some strings to have things work out just right?" Leah guessed.

"Yeah, but he didn't pull that many," I told her. "Maisie's father literally can't be her father so I think he was probably happy to have it go away. Anyway, I told my parents that there's a trust fund for her and that I will always have sole custody of her. I told them that he's going to be priest, because they asked how he could afford a trust fund for her." I took a deep breath and managed to stay calm in part because Sue hugged me again. "That's really the last thing I got to say. They told me they'd thought about and prayed about it and, in the end, they can't accept the decisions I'm making. They said he's selling me my daughter. They gave me one more chance to do 'the right thing' and then they told I could stay until Jasper came for me. But I'm never supposed to come back."

"You didn't stay, did you?" Leah asked.

I shook my head. "I couldn't. I was already having a panic attack. I walked to the park and sent Jasper a message about where I was. I totally lost in then and I collapsed just as he got there. He brought me here, where Edward met him and brought me inside. That's all."

"I can see why Jacob was worried about what Jasper might do to your family," Leah said thoughtfully. "I'll go outside and check on things. Be right back."

I sighed shakily when she left. "You're not leaving, are you?" I murmured, staring at my folded hands on my bump rather than meeting Sue's gaze.

She brushed my hair back and tucked it behind my ear. "Not until you tell me too."

I didn't tell her to. I leaned against her instead. She was very calming, so calming that I fell asleep for a little while. Until I dreamed about my parents following Maisie to school one day and making her wear a sign saying she was the product of sin. Then Sue held me while I cried about that.

She left, promising to look for Dr. Gerandy and come right back, when Leah returned.

"She used to work here," Leah explained as she reclaimed the stool. "They want her back too."

"Why did she quit?"

"We didn't like vampires then. Well, I didn't know they existed but my dad was on the Council so he knew and he told her to stop working here when Dr. Cullen got a job here. She misses it, so I think she should come back." She poured water from the plastic pitcher into a cup and handed it to me. "You look thirsty. Jasper, however, is not. He hunted with Emmett and Rosalie. No one, other than some wildlife, died. He's just worried about you."

I swallowed the water and held the cup out for more. "You saw him or you asked Jacob for details?"

"Saw him," she said, giving me more water. "I wanted to personally offer to clean up any mess he made. Don't worry, he'd already decided against making any. Now he's just beating himself up over not being able to be here with you. I told him me and my mom would stay. He seemed alright with that, but he kind of has to be so it probably doesn't matter."

"She means well, she really does," Sue said as she came back with two steaming cups of tea, and gave one to her daughter. "Dr. Gerandy is watching the monitor readings out there, Angela. Everything looks really good. How are you feeling?"

"No pain, no contractions. I'm just thirsty and exhausted, but too worked up to sleep."

"Leah, go get her a can of apple juice or orange juice from the vending machine. She needs the sugar to help calm down and relax." Leah left again and Sue focused her attention on me. "I want you to know, Angela, that if you need anything at all, you only need to ask."

I blinked and looked at her closely. "Why do you care? Why do you want to help me?"

"I like you, Angela, and I've been where you are. I've been alone, and still surrounded by people at the same time, and I've wondered why someone wants to help me. That's why I'm here and I'll stay as long as you need me."

I held my arms up, hoping she would hug me again.

She did.

After Leah came back with apple juice, and I drank it very quickly, I fell asleep leaning against Sue again.

This time I didn't wake up until morning.

* * *

…_Jasper…_

"Jasper!" Bella's father waited until he had my attention to tell me why he almost shouted my name. "Tone it down. You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Sorry." I tried to rein in the anxiety raging through me.

He exhaled deeply and almost seemed like he was going to pat me on the back but he stopped himself. "It's going to be okay, you know. Sue said everything looks good and that they're filling out her release paperwork now."

I knew she'd said all those things but it was oddly calming to hear him repeat them. After all, I'd spent the night lurking in the woods closest to the hospital. Dawn had broken and I was standing in the parking lot with Charlie Swan. "This isn't supposed to happen to me," I muttered, carefully keeping my distance from him and control of my emotions.

"I think that's what every man about to be a father for the first time says," he said thoughtfully. "I'd like to say it gets easier, that your kid doesn't make you pace around muttering to yourself for the next eighteen years but I'd be lying and that doesn't do anyone any good, do you think?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his bluntness. "No, definitely wouldn't do any good."

He leaned against his car and crossed his arms over his chest. "Is anyone in your family going back to Colville with you?"

"Rosalie and Emmett, I think. I don't know, I wasn't paying too much attention last night." I circled his car once and sighed. "Did Sue say if Angela should stay here and rest for a while before we go back?"

"Not to me. I'll ask her if you forget."

I groaned and mashed the heel of my hand into my face. "You think I'm losing my mind."

"No. Not at all. I just think you're acting more… normal than I've ever seen anyone in your family act. It's good, Jasper, I promise."

I snorted and leaned against the back of the car.

He chuckled and shook his head. "Tell you what, I'll ask Sue if Angela should stay in Forks for a few days or a week or something. If she should, and you don't want to be at your family's place because of the memories there, you and Angela come stay with me."

I blinked twice and looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. You don't sleep so Angela can use the bed in Bella's room. It's upstairs, but so is the bathroom. You just get to fetch food and stuff for her."

I nodded and let him something other than my anxiety.

He patted me on the back that time. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee. Stay relaxed."

I called Rosalie and told her what Charlie had offered. She said what I was thinking; that it was incredibly thoughtful of him to offer and that I should do it because it wouldn't be healthy for me, Angela, or Maisie to be at the house where Alice was. My 'twin' just got me some times.

Sue and Leah brought Angela out a few minutes later. I zeroed in on her emotions and used them to calm myself and not panic over the fact that she was in a wheelchair.

"Hospital policy, Jasper," Leah said, because I apparently didn't do quite good enough with my emotions. "Relax."

Angela stood up as soon as Leah stopped the chair in front of me and hugged me tightly. "Are you okay?"

I laughed in disbelief that she'd just asked me that. "Am I okay? Yes. Are you okay?"

"Yes." She smiled, but she looked sad and tired. "We can go home now."

I knew she was saying that in part because she wanted to be away from her family but I knew a part of it was that she didn't want me to be uncomfortable. I had to find a way to balance everything so I did what Charlie clearly thought I should do. "Why don't we stay in Forks for a few days so you can rest?"

"I don't want you to have to do that," she started to protest.

"And I don't want you to have to do that," I finished for her as Charlie came over and gave me a single nod. "I think it's probably a good idea. Bella's dad offered that we could stay with him, if we wanted. You can use Bella's old room and I'll wait on you hand and foot."

She looked at him. "Really?"

He nodded. "Really."

I didn't miss the approving smile Sue gave Charlie.

"It's a good idea, Angela," she said. "It's a long drive back to Colville, even with Jasper driving. Do you maybe want to call your doctor there and tell her what happened, see if she thinks it's a good idea for you to rest a few days before you make the trip?"

I hadn't thought of that and I was glad she did because Angela's face brightened at the suggestion.

We went to Charlie's house, where Bella and Edward were waiting, and Angela called her doctor. The doctor told her that she'd worked with Dr. Gerandy and Dr. Snow, and that Dr. Gerandy had already sent Angela's chart to her, and that Angela couldn't be in any better hands so staying in Forks to rest could only be a good thing.

"Do you mind staying here for a few days?" Angela asked me as we sat on Charlie's couch and watched Bella come down the stairs with the sheets from her room.

"No, of course not. I'll call Nate and ask him to keep feeding OJ."

"OJ?" Leah asked from where she'd folded herself onto the floor.

"My goldfish," Angela explained as I made the call. "I really don't want to go home to a dead fish."

The wolf girl waited until I hung up the phone to give me a skeptical look. "A vampire with a goldfish for a pet? I think you're ruining your street cred there, leech."

"Not my goldfish," I said, pointing at Angela. "She had it before I moved to Colville."

She shook her head and jumped to her feet. "I stand by what I said. I'm hungry. What do you want for lunch, Angela? She needs to eat, right Mom?"

Sue stepped out of the kitchen and nodded. "Yes. I just put some soup on, enough for you too," she added, looking pointedly at her daughter. "Is soup enough or do you want something more, Angela?"

"Emily brought muffins yesterday," Charlie said when Angela seemed overwhelmed by all the questions. "They're still fresh, have one for dessert."

"Yes, that," Angela agreed with a smile. "What kind of muffins are they?"

"Blueberry, banana nut, and pistachio," he recited for her. "She makes them healthy enough that Sue even lets me eat them when I want them."

"I want blueberry, please," she called out as Leah headed for the kitchen, apparently impatient for her soup.

After she got her lunch, I left Angela in Charlie and the Clearwaters capable hands and went to get Angela's things from the car. Edward already had the trunk open.

"Did you steal my keys?"

"No, I read the number code in your head." He winked and leaned against the car. "I'm also glad to know that you're done thinking of ways to hurt and/or kill the Webers. Angela wouldn't want them hurt."

"I know that. Angela and I went to church on Christmas Eve so I just made myself remember that. Even if they forget it, I want to remember it."

"I lurked in their bushes last night," he admitted. "They're worried about her, but not enough to take anything back, and they planned to pester Gerandy for information this morning. He won't tell them anything."

"You lurked outside the hospital too?"

He nodded. "He's disgusted by what they did. So is Charlie. I don't think the Webers will be able to stay in Forks very long after all the details get around. They think they are this town, but they aren't. The people in this town love Angela."

"I feel bad for her brothers, and for her not being able to talk to them."

"They're already plotting ways of keeping in contact with her without their parents knowing about it," he told me. "Isaac told Joshua last night that he thinks Charlie will let them send and receive mail through the police station if the woman who runs the post office won't let them open their own PO Box."

"Good, I'll help the three of them stay in touch if I can." I draped two bags on my shoulders and Edward took two more.

"Just a couple years until they're eighteen and can do what they want," he pointed out. He caught my arm before I went up the stairs. "I've been trying to decide whether or not to warn you about something. Do you want me to?"

I shrugged. "If you think you should, yes."

He shifted his weight and I felt his internal debate before he settled. "Okay. You should. I'd want to be warned. So I'm warning you. She wants to have you listed as the baby's father, she wants you to be Maisie's father. She's afraid to ask and I'm not sure she will."

I was glad he warned me. "I should ask her?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "She wants that."


	16. You'll Be Her Father, Won't You?

**Own it, I do not.**

_Everybody seemed happy about Charlie making an appearance. Lucky thing, because he's back!_

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

**You'll Be Her Father, Won't You?**

…_Angela…_

It was almost too easy to stay at Charlie's. Even after seven days, I didn't want to leave. I felt guilty though, and finally caved and whispered my worries to Jasper when he laid with me before I went to sleep and before he left for his nightly hunt.

"He's not impatient for us to leave," he murmured. "I think he likes having you, at least, here. Do you want me to ask Edward tonight if he heard anything in Charlie's thoughts when they were here earlier?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes as he traced gentle, relaxing circles on my sore ribs. "This is us so we should rely on our own instincts and decision making abilities. Maybe I'll ask him in the morning."

"Ask Sue too. She seems to have equal say about what goes on around here."

I laughed softly. "I can't believe Charlie Swan flirts and blushes. I grew up here and he never really dated anyone, I don't think. Ever. He was like the definition of 'bachelor'. And some women _threw_ themselves at him. He'd just get flustered and walk away."

"Can I tell you a secret?" When I hummed against his chest, he told me. "I think he was always a little in love with Sue. From what I've heard and from what I felt from him when he looks at her, it's a long-standing love. I'm not sure when she married Leah and Seth's father, but I think she was his forbidden love."

"That's so sweet that they can have each other after all. Not that I'm glad her husband died, just that she and Charlie found happiness in the end. You know what I mean."

"I do. Completely."

I propped myself up a little and looked at him through heavy eyelids. "Are you making me drowsy?"

He smirked and nudged me back down. "Guilty as charged."

"You can just go if you're thirsty," I said, determined to go to sleep on my own schedule even though I knew I'd probably fail.

"That's not why I'm making you drowsy. You need to sleep, sugar, and I've learned that once you get fixated on one topic or another, you fight sleep for some reason. Just relax."

It was easier not to fight him on it so I didn't. I was asleep before I saw a half dozen sheep.

I woke up with a start after a dream about Maisie being born with neon green dots all over her body. My heart hammered in my chest while I tried to breathe deeply and remind myself that no baby was ever born with neon green dots. I knew I wasn't going back to sleep though so, since there were weak streams of daylight creeping in through the curtains, I got up.

Charlie's bedroom door was open and the room was empty so I figured he'd already left for work but he was still in the kitchen when I came downstairs, still clad in my pajamas.

"Did I wake you?" he asked when he saw me.

I shook my head. "Weird dream. Really weird dream. Jasper's not back?"

He pulled out a chair and motioned me into it. "He called a few minutes ago and asked me to tell you that there are a couple nomads near the Hoh ranger station that need to be taken care of, whatever that means, but that he'll be back soon. Do you want some breakfast? I'm making myself an omelet and it's easy enough to make two."

"You don't have to, but yes, I would like an omelet."

I started to get up to help but he just waved me back down. "Omelets are my specialty, I've got this. What do you want on yours?"

I glanced at what he had spread on the counter and was intrigued by the freshly cooked bacon and the container of sour cream. "Same as yours, I think. But no scallions. Can I have cheese instead?" I stared out the window at the yard while he worked in silence. Then I had to ask. "Have I overstayed my welcome? You can kick us out."

"No, you haven't and no, I won't," he said without turning to face me. "Stay as long as you want. You seem happy enough here so I don't see a reason for you to leave."

"There probably isn't one, but I'm not your daughter. I don't want… I just want…"

"To belong somewhere again?" he guessed when I couldn't finish. He put both plates on the table and sat down across from me. "I get that. Pretty clear you belong with Jasper, though. And since I'm in this whole world," he waved his hands around absently, clearly meaning the world of vampires and werewolves, "I'd say you belong here too."

"Thanks, Charlie," I said shyly, focusing on cutting my omelet instead of looking at him. I allowed myself a glance just long enough to know he was doing the same thing. "I really appreciate that."

He sort of grunted, and we ate our omelets in silence. Charlie took the plates to the sink when we finished, before I could so much as push back my chair. "Don't even think about doing the dishes while I'm at work," he warned me as he buckled his gun belt. "Your boyfriend can do them when he gets back. Sue will be home in a few minutes so you won't be alone long."

"I can be alone for a long time," I protested weakly.

He shook his head. "If Jasper's not back by eleven, call Bella or have Seth go find him."

He left before I could splutter a reply. Alone for the first time in more than a week, I went back upstairs and took a long, hot shower. I shaved my legs as best I could and straightened my hair. I put on a maxi dress and a cardigan sweater, feeling better for ignoring the strong call of my leggings and t-shirts, and went downstairs.

Jasper met me at the bottom of the stairs, wiping his soapy hands on a dish towel. "You look like you feel a little better." He kissed me quickly and rubbed my belly.

I kissed him back longer since no one else was in the room, but I could hear Sue in the laundry room. "I do. Charlie's not impatient for us to leave."

"Told you," he smirked.

I ignored him. "Is everything okay with the nomads?"

"Mm-hmm. We convinced them to keep going northeast into the Canadian Rockies. I wasn't sure it'd work quite so well until two of the younger wolves got into an argument about something and tumbled into the clearing, scaring them off. I'm not sure Leah and Embry know whether to ground them or promote them." He held my hand and led me into the kitchen. "Did you like the omelet Charlie made you?"

"Yes, but how did you know he made me an omelet?" I asked as he got back to washing the dishes. "The smell?"

"That and the fact that he left me a voicemail about how I was supposed to do the dishes."

I laughed and started drying for him. "He told me if you weren't back by eleven I was supposed to call Bella or get Seth to go find you."

"See how much he likes having you around?" Sue said as she set a basket of laundry on the chair and started folding. "What kind of omelet did he make you?"

"Bacon and sour cream, with cheese. Why?"

"He found an omelet recipe book at a yard sale over the summer and bought it. I teased him, of course, but he's been working his way through it and he's very good at omelets. You got to eat that kind before I did, though," she added with a little pout. They were so obviously madly in love with each other.

"He used scallions on his, so you could still have it his way first," I pointed out. "I went with cheese because I figured the scallions would just give me heartburn."

"Doesn't cheese do things too?"

Jasper snatched the towel from me and dried the last three things in the blink of an eye. "I can sense where this conversation is going," he announced, "so I am going somewhere where I can't hear it."

Sue and I laughed together as he fled the house. "Maybe you have been here too long," she said, "because that's absolutely something Charlie would do."

Jasper came back twenty minutes later and presented me with a half dozen calla lilies and Sue with a bouquet of wildflowers. She put hers in water, reminded me that there was lasagna in the oven for mine and Charlie's dinner, and left for her shift at the health clinic on the reservation.

I sat on the sofa and waited while Jasper put the rest of the laundry in the washing machine. When he sat beside me, I blurted out the conclusion I'd come to. "I want to move back to Forks."

* * *

…_Jasper…_

We were moving back to Forks.

Two days after Angela told me she wanted to do it, her father announced to his congregation that he and his family would be leaving Forks for a parish in suburban St. Louis. He would be replaced by Reverend Lewis, the pastor we'd met in Colville. I didn't have anything to do with the Webers leaving town, but I was fairly certain Edward did.

And I silently thanked him for it, knowing he'd hear me any way.

Once that was settled, Angela moved on to worrying that I wouldn't want to stay in Forks because of the memories of Alice, and Carlisle and Esme. I tried to convince her it was very much the opposite but she wouldn't believe me completely until I admitted it would be hard to live where I'd lived with Alice. It wasn't a deal breaker, though, because Charlie came home a day later with news that there was an old log cabin, one of the oldest houses in Forks, for sale on a piece of land about equal distance between where I lived before, where Charlie lived, and the reservation.

Sometimes things just worked out. I liked those times.

And then I found myself in the waiting room of an obstetrician's office. Apparently there really were first times for everything.

I jumped when Angela hit me with a rolled up magazine. "Did you hear a word I said?" she asked.

It didn't escape my notice that she was barely manage not to laugh. "No," I admitted bluntly. "What did you say? More importantly, why are you laughing at me?"

She lost the battle and just laughed. "I was just thinking about how Sue said Charlie was rubbing off on you and you're acting more and more like a first-time father."

I rolled my eyes and cast a weary look at the other two pregnant women in Dr. Snow's waiting room. "Fine, that's why you're laughing. You know I have never, literally ever, been in a doctor's office, right?"

"You're doing very well," she assured me.

I nodded and wished time would move faster. "Anyway, what did you say that I didn't hear?"

"A lot," she sighed. "But the first thing was that Christa emailed me. She's actually relieved we're coming back here because she didn't know how to tell me that she's moving to Boise. Her parents are opening a restaurant there and they hired Nate so they're leaving Colville too."

"You can keep in touch with her, you know."

"I know, and I will." She sighed and shook her head. "She also said that my baby shower is still going to happen. She and Bev are going to bring the ladies here for it. Apparently someone gave Rosalie her number and they arranged to move it. Any idea who gave her Rosalie's number?"

"Nope, no idea." I shrugged helplessly. "That does, however, remind me. Rosalie and Emmett offered to go to Colville and pack up our stuff. Is that alright with you?"

"Mm-hmm," she hummed. "Of course. I don't know what we're going to do with it since the house we bought needs so much work."

I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Do you not trust me, Miss Weber?"

She leaned her head on my shoulder. "I trust you, completely."

"Good, then don't worry about the work the house needs."

She sighed in agreement and squirmed in her chair. "I hope this doesn't take too much longer."

I hoped the same thing, very much.

A nurse called Angela's name and I helped her up. "You really want me to come in?" I asked.

She grabbed my hand in answer and tugged me along. "Yep."

I stood at the head of the exam table and kept a tight hold of Angela's hand. I wasn't afraid of blood or anything like that. I just didn't have the faintest idea what to do in this particular situation.

A nurse came in and spread the ultrasound jelly over Angela's stomach. I'd seen the pictures from her previous appointments and I could hear Maisie's heartbeat without the machines in the room, but there was something different about seeing it on the screen and hearing the heartbeat amplified.

Maybe it was the look of pure joy on Angela's face.

Then again, she always looked happy when it came to her daughter.

I shook my head and focused on what the woman was saying – that everything looked perfect and right on track.

Angela poked me when the nurse left us to wait for Dr. Snow. "You looked… really sweet there," she told me. "Sweet isn't the right word, but it's the best I can think of."

"I can't help it. I love her, and I love you." I usually tried not to say the first thing that came to mind, but I didn't really care that I did.

Her mouth formed a little 'o' and I watched the tears pool in her eyes. "You never said it so easily before," she whispered. "You'll be her father, won't you?"

I swallowed, bit the inside of my cheek, and nodded. "Always."

She kissed my hand and wiped at her eyes as Dr. Snow came in.

They went over a long checklist of items because it was the first proper appointment in Forks. Once Dr. Snow assured Angela that everything was on track, the conversation moved on to birth plans.

And I got nervous.

I knew that Angela planned to have the baby naturally with as little intrusion from medication or doctors as possible but that she wanted those things available in case of an emergency. When she first told me that, when I realized I wasn't going away from her, I'd immediately decided that I would have to be as far as possible.

I stuck with that. Right up until Dr. Snow suggested something, anyway.

"You mentioned on the phone that one of the people you'd like to be there for the birth is Sue Clearwater," she said. "I wanted to tell you, in light of that, that she could be there as a nurse if you wanted to have the baby at the health clinic on the Quileute reservation. It's not equipped with an OR but there isn't any reason someone with a perfectly healthy, normal pregnancy like yours couldn't have her baby there. Sue's not on staff here, but she is there."

"She can't deliver the baby, can she?" Angela asked.

Dr. Snow shook her head. "No, but Dr. Gerandy, myself, and a few other doctors from the Forks hospital take turns working at the clinic. There aren't any doctors on staff there so we do it. We could induce you on a day I'm scheduled to be there or I can come there when you go into labor. I only suggest it as an option."

"I'm not Quileute, does that matter?"

"I wouldn't think so. Talk to Sue, though. Tell her to call me if that's what you both want to do." She smiled and turned to me. "Pardon me if I'm being presumptuous, but you're the father?"

"He is," Angela answered for me when I didn't say anything. "Not biologically, but he is. He's not sure if he's going to be there for the birth, though."

"Not all fathers are and not all mothers want them to be," she told me. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure with Sue and, again I presume, Leah there so Angela will be in excellent hands, surrounded by people who love and care about her."

I nodded my agreement, but something was off. I loved her and cared about her. But could I be there?

We left the office a few minutes later and went to the diner so Angela could eat her lunch. She seemed as distracted as I felt. She didn't say anything until she ordered her soup and sandwich and I ordered coffee to keep up appearances. "I like the idea of the clinic," she said slowly before she picked up her train of thought and carried it through, "and I really do hope I'd be allowed to go there. Part of the reason I like it is because, maybe, you could be closer than if I was in a regular hospital. You'd need permission to be on their land, I know, but there'd be less… possibly bleeding people around. I hope I can go home as soon as possible, but… I need you."

I waited until the waitress put the food on the table, and then I wrapped my fingers around the hot cup and stared at the murky brown liquid. "I… wish I could be there. That way would be easiest. We'll talk to Sue and Leah."

She blinked at me, and I felt hope stir in her emotions. "You wish you could be there? Like for the whole thing?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I… I'm going to be there for as much as I can. I guess we'll find out how much that will be soon enough."

* * *

_**So, how was it? **__Any guesses about what comes next?_

**Thanks as always to **_Emma Ro_ and _TheLyricalCutie_ for being awesomely amazing as always. And **special thanks **this time around to _sweetypie15_ for talking me through the horrible wall I ran into with this story!

_**Please, please do be reviewing if you've read this far!**_


	17. You Totally Bought A Dump, Angie Baby

**Don't own it.**

**You're still here reading… love that! I don't have a whole lot of firm plans for things to happen later so if there's something you really want to see, be kind and let me know. I can't guarantee I'll write it, but ideas are what keep a story going! ;)**

**Oh, and for 'reasons' this chapter is just Angela's POV (the next will be Jasper's POV and we'll take turns from there on out).**

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

**You Totally Bought A Dump, Angie Baby**

…_Angela…_

"I didn't know you were in real estate too," I said as Jasper and I followed Charlie up the steps of a log cabin type house that bordered the Bogachiel River and the wet, green forest beyond that.

"Perk of the job," he laughed as he unlocked the door. "The place has been abandoned for a while so it belongs to the town. We technically have it listed for sale but it needs so much work that there hasn't been too much interest. Most people in town probably don't remember it's here at all anymore. So if you like it, Angela, Jasper and the other … vampires can fix it up fast."

I was trying to avoid acknowledging that Jasper and Charlie, by showing me a house Jasper and I could make a home, were distracting me while Rosalie and Christa, who had driven from Colville with Mrs. Baker and Mrs. Gresham, set up for my baby shower. "I've never seen it," I admitted. "Why's it been abandoned so long? Other than the repairs it needs?"

"I'm not really sure. The last guy who lived here was pretty much a recluse. He fancied himself an old-time mountain man and didn't like to come into town unless he had to. He was creepy." He shivered, and I realized he really meant it. "I figure you won't worry about ghosts and whatnot since, you know, you're living with a vampire."

Jasper sighed dramatically. "Really, Charlie? Log cabins, reclusive wannabe mountain men, ghosts? Could you be any more obvious?"

He laughed and shrugged his shoulders. "Don't know. I can try, though. Come on inside, though. We've got to let the lady look at the place and get her to her party."

I rolled my eyes and followed Charlie inside. He wasn't kidding when he said that the house needed work but my artist's eye immediately started imagining how the spacious open first floor could look. And I liked it. The kitchen would need to be totally gutted and redone, but I'd be good with that. There was a second story, and Jasper followed me up the steps with his hands on my hips.

"Four bedrooms?" he said in surprise as we reached the top. "Seems a little excessive for an old log cabin, doesn't it?"

"The two places Old Man Nixon was seen regularly were the hardware store and the lumber store," Charlie replied. "Maybe he got bored and remodeled. Seems structurally sound enough, though."

"Nothing that can't be fixed," Jasper agreed. "Do you like it, sugar?"

My cheeks flushed a little when he called me that in front of someone else, just like it always did. "I love it," I answered automatically and honestly. "There's plenty of room for Maisie, your books and things, my photography. It's close to your family, to La Push, and to Charlie. And, maybe most importantly, I've always kind of wanted to live in a log cabin."

The glance Jasper shot Charlie proved that I wasn't wrong about him blushing a little when I mentioned being close to him. He was pretending to examine a weather-worn glass window and Jasper left him to it while he answered me. "You've always wanted to live in a log cabin?"

"Yep, ever since I read and watched all of the _Little House on the Prairie _series' when I was nine. You've lived in one, haven't you?"

"Mm-hmm. I imagine this'd be a bit different, though, since we'd have electricity and plumbing. Not that I need either of those things," he added as an afterthought. "So, we're moving back to Forks, should we live here?"

"You and Emmett and Edward can fix it up?"

He nodded. "Absolutely. You have to help, though. Picking out colors and furniture and all that."

"Obviously," I laughed. "I like what we've done in Maisie's room in Colville though so please use your perfect memory to recreate that, okay?"

He gave a half bow. "Nessie's spending a night on the reservation this week so Bella and Edward have already offered to go to Colville and get the rest of our stuff. We can stay with Rosalie and Emmett until this place is ready."

"Or you can keep staying with me," Charlie interrupted. "So, do you want the place?"

"Yeah, we do. Let me drop Angela off at the baby shower and then I'll come take care of the paperwork."

Charlie told him to come to the police station to get it done, then left in his cruiser after telling me to have a good time at the party.

"Are you going to be okay at the party?" Jasper asked as he drove the short distance to the Cullens' property.

"You mean because of my mom? Yeah, I will be. That's settled. Time to move on and be happy."

"That's my girl," he said, reaching across the center console to squeeze my hand.

He walked me to the door where he turned me over to Christa. She and I both cried as we hugged each other but she pulled herself together and went into hosting mode pretty fast. "I can't believe this house," she said before we went inside. "And Jasper's sisters are both so beautiful. Oh, and his niece is the sweetest thing."

"Are the Clearwaters and Rachel Black here?" I whispered, mostly just to get her to stop rambling.

She nodded quickly. "Yep. I feel very plain around the people you know but I own my plainness so I'm good with that."

"You're not plain, Christa," I assured her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," she laughed. "I was too nervous to ask Rosalie, but is Jasper from the south? His cousin has an accent and I need to know."

"He has family in the south," I hedged, knowing it would account for Rosalie's lack of southern accent and Jasper's occasional one. Saying that also bought me time to figure out who in the world she was talking about. "Charlotte? Charlotte's here?"

Christa nodded and opened the door, shooing me in the house while she went to make sure something was done in the kitchen.

Charlotte was, indeed, standing off to one side of the room beside Bella and Nessie.

I went to her first, because I was honestly surprised that she'd come.

She hugged me quickly when it seemed like she didn't know quite else what to do. "I hope you don't mind that Rosalie invited me and that I came," she said.

"Of course not. I'm so happy you came," I assured her. "If you have leave early, I understand that too."

"That's why I'm standing by Bella and Nessie," she grinned. "Plus Leah said she'll stay between me and the humans. Oh, since you're moving, we'll set up your photography studio wherever you move to, okay? You'll still teach me photography?"

"Yep, absolutely."

She gave me another hug and stepped back. "Okay, now go be the center of attention like you're supposed to be. This is my first baby shower, so you have to do it right."

I stuck my tongue out at her then went around the room greeting people, including Emily Uley and Kim Cameron who I'd only met a couple times but had come with Rachel and Leah, and being told that I didn't need to say they didn't need to come.

Christa asked if anyone would mind if I didn't open my presents right away, making the valid argument that the games were much more fun than sitting around watching me unwrap stuff. I wholeheartedly agreed, as did everyone else.

She obviously had done her research into baby shower games because we played every one I'd ever heard of and some that I hadn't. I laughed so hard at some of them that it was easy to come through on what I told Jasper and just move on and be happy.

The food was set out on the dining room table and I don't know if it was Christa's idea or Rosalie's influence, but everyone ate what they wanted when they wanted. The vampires, my vampire family, kept plates close enough that if my surrogate grandmothers looked at them, it would be easy enough to pretend to eat. I don't think they ate anything. I ate too much.

When it was over, the ladies, including Bev, from Colville made me promise to bring Maisie to meet them. I'd keep that promise. They were all driving back that day, having spent the night before in Forks, so Rosalie and Bella told them not to worry about cleaning anything up. Christa cried again when she apologized that she wouldn't be there to see Maisie born, and I tried to make her understand I was okay with that. I think she did in the end.

After they left, along with Emily and Kim, Sue convinced me to go ahead and open my presents while I waited for Jasper and the boys to get back.

Leah and Charlotte promptly sat on either side of me and started handing me gifts to open while Renesmee sat nearby and carefully wrote out what was from whom.

"These are so adorable," Charlotte cooed as she took a pack of onesies from me.

"I think she's more excited than you are," Leah snickered as she balled up some wrapping paper. "Weird vampires."

"Says the only girl wolf who nearly knocked me over to sit down," she retorted.

"Play nice or somebody has to go home," Rosalie said. "And you know I will always side with the vampire, Clearwater."

I threw a pink ribbon at her. "Play nice, Rosalie."

She stuck her tongue out at me. "Party's over, human. You're not in charge anymore."

"She's always in charge, Rosalie," Jasper said from behind me. "If you have a problem with that, Sue's in charge."

"Thank you, Jasper," Sue said, nodding once at him.

He picked Charlotte up and deposited her on the floor before sitting down beside me. "How was the party?"

"Very good. Look at all the new stuff we've got to fill up the house with." I grabbed his hand and let a package of sheets fall to the floor. "Did you buy the house?"

"Yes, ma'am. It's ours. The city of Forks is very appreciative that it's no longer theirs." He picked up the package and examined the pink polka dot printed sheets. "You'll just need to sign the final papers when they come through. Charlie said it should be a three days at most."

Emmett appeared suddenly in the room, with Edward, Jacob, and Peter close behind. "Yep. You totally bought a dump, Angie baby. Not to worry, though, because I can teach these two fools how to rewire a house and update the plumbing."

Edward nodded at Jacob, apparently giving him permission to shove Emmett across the room. Only Rosalie's hand stopped him from going through the wall. "If you three are just going to knock the house down, I'm sure Angela would rather have Peter and Jasper do it," she muttered.

"It doesn't really matter who does it," I admitted. "Just nobody better knock the house down and I want to at least pick out paint colors and things like that. Will it take a long time?"

"Few days," Emmett said with a shrug. "We could do it faster if we worked nonstop and did it all. If you wanted to be all moved in before my niece is born, that is. Or we can do it slow so you can have more input and do stuff yourself. Totally up to you."

"There isn't any rush," Sue reminded me. "We can set up what you and Maisie will need in the first few weeks wherever you want to be."

I glanced at Jasper, at my belly, and back again. A part of me wanted to be on our own, in our house. Another part of me was terrified of being on our own right away, even if we wouldn't really be alone because our friends and family were so close. I knew Jasper was nervous about the first days with a newborn, and someone who had just given birth. I also didn't miss the wary glances he kept directing toward the stairs, as much as he obviously tried to hide them. He needed to have a place where he belonged before he could be truly comfortable where Alice once was. I had to consider all of that.

"You okay?" Jasper nudged my chin with his thumb to get my attention.

"Mm. Yeah. Let's just stay at Charlie's for a little while longer?"

He smiled and nudged me again. "Fine by me."

Leah held out her hand to Bella, and grinned when a small wad of cash was dropped into her palm.

"Not to worry, Angie baby," Emmett said. "We bet on everything around here. The Clearwaters are finally catching on, if only after we gave them bank accounts. You'll get into it soon enough. Anyway, aren't you going to get Jasper to make you an honest woman before you have the baby?"

Charlotte smacked him for Rosalie at the same time as Rachel smacked herself in the head. "I completely forgot," she exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, Angela."

"Sorry for what?"

She walked across the room and gave Leah four shoves before she could sit on the sofa with me and Jasper. "Two things I forgot to tell you, that's what. First, my dad is completely fine with you having the baby at the clinic in La Push. He said he completely trusts Leah to keep everything under control. Same rules apply about any Cullens around not sparkling or snacking and all that."

"Right, but just to keep things unassuming and all that," Leah interrupted, "Embry and I have decided that no more than three vampires can be in La Push at a time. Sorry to the two red eyes current present, but you are banned."

Charlotte held up her hands and looked downright scared. "Oh don't worry, we're staying far, far away for a while."

"Anyway," Rachel drawled, "since that's settled, may I finish?"

Leah rolled her eyes and went back to playing with the ribbons from my gifts.

"So the second thing I forgot to tell you is that my dad said, if you and Jasper wanted it, he could marry you. One of you, I'd guess Angela, would just need to agree to be adopt into the Quileute tribe."

I stopped myself from blurting out that I very much wanted that and went about reacting in a more subdued, curious way. Jasper probably didn't miss my emotional spike, though. "Your dad could marry us?"

"Yep," Jacob answered for her, earning himself a glare from his older sister. "Tribal chiefs are allowed to perform marriages that are recognized by the state. One of the people has to be a tribe member, that's the only requirement. Since your family sucks, you should just have Sue adopted you into the Quileute nation."

I was more than a little lost for words.

My emotions were apparently not confusing though, because Jasper answered for us. "Will you do it, Sue?"

She looked at me and smiled when I nodded. "Of course. I'll talk to Billy about it today. Are you getting married too?"

I avoided Jasper and looked at the rest of the family. They all answered my unspoken question with firm, unquestionable nods of agreement. I looked at Edward last. I silently asked him if Jasper wanted to marry me, and I asked him to pretend like I was only asking his permission as the head of the family.

"Yes," he said, answering the questions and keeping up my ruse. "Yes, Angela."

Jasper squeezed my hand. "Marry me, sugar?"

I nodded once and bit my lip so I didn't start crying. "Marry me?"

He leaned over and kissed me while I heard the squeals of the girls in the room.

"Congratulations to both of you," Peter said when we pulled apart, "but you need a nickname like sugar for him, Angela."

"Don't call me cowboy," Jasper said before I could. "Please. And don't take suggestions from Peter or Emmett. I'd rather you go to Jacob or Paul first."

"And I'm stuck in the middle again," Edward sighed dramatically.

"Yep," Emmett agreed. "Happily boring."

As funny as their banter was and as keyed up as I was about the fact that I was shortly to become a member of the Quileute tribe, I was also exhausted and I covered a yawn in Jasper's shoulder.

"Take her home, Jasper," Sue told him. "Leah and I will pack up anything that needs to be there and bring it."

"The rest can stay here until your house is ready," Rosalie told me. "And don't worry, I'll supervise, or just do, any work done on your house."

"I'll help," Charlotte offered. Then she hugged me tightly. "I hope I get to see you again soon."

"I hope so too," I said, returning her hug as tightly as I could. "Don't forget about the photography studio. You're in charge of that."

She bounced in place as she let go of me. "Count on me."

I hugged everyone else goodbye and then let Jasper drive me back to Charlie's.

"You sure you feel okay, sugar?" he said as he followed me up the steps.

"I'm just tired. It was a long day." I hung up my jacket and slumped onto the sofa so he could take off my boots. "Are we really getting married?"

"We are," he said as he dropped the boots and rubbed my feet. "Just as soon as you become a member of the tribe that's supposed to be my mortal enemy, anyway."

"Oh, who cares what we're supposed to be," I said, waving him off. "It is what it is and this was an all-around awesome day, especially the part where we decide to get married."

"That's my favorite part too," he agreed. "It'll only be surpassed by the part where we actually get married."

"And become parents."

He picked me up effortlessly and laughed. "Yeah, that too. That part's scarier than the other one, though. Ready for bed?"

I buried another yawn in his shoulder in answer. I didn't tell him that I completely agreed about which part was scarier, even if having a baby, something women had been doing since the dawn of time, should have been far less scary than marrying a vampire.

I kept that to myself.

* * *

**Emma Ro and TheLyricalCutie, well… 3 xoxo**


	18. I Counted the Beats of Her Heart

**I don't own this.**

**Please read…**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

**I Counted the Beats of Her Heart**

…_Jasper…_

Surreal.

It was the only word to describe the next few days.

Angela and I drove to Port Angeles to apply for a marriage license at the Clallam County Courthouse. We listed Billy Black as the one who would officiate the ceremony. We could do that, of course, because Sue Clearwater adopted Angela into the Quileute tribe. That was to become official just before the wedding.

Everyone seemed happy with Angela being adopted, and maybe no one more so than Leah who was thrilled to have a sister. She ordered me, Edward, and her pack never to tell how happy she was and we agreed because everyone who mattered could see it already. Charlie was also very happy with arrangement. I couldn't shake the idea that he'd watched Angela grow up more closely than he might otherwise have because Bella wasn't there for him to watch. Edward told me I wasn't wrong.

Once we'd settled all that, Angela had another appointment with Dr. Snow. She said Maisie would arrive in the next week or so and that we should call her when Angela's contractions were seven minutes apart, then go to the clinic when they were four or five minutes apart. It was all more than a little nerve-wracking.

I hunted as much as I could to hedge all the bets I was making. And I was hunting with Edward and Bella on the fourth day into the week Dr. Snow said we probably had. Emmett, Peter, and Charlotte were working on the house. Angela had gone to the hardware store with Rosalie and Leah to pick out paint colors for the house.

"Don't panic," Edward said as he and Bella moved to stand on either side of me.

I panicked.

He sighed wearily.

Seth emerged from the trees and pulled on his cut-off shorts. "Hear me out," he said, obviously sensing my panic. I tried to tone it down. "My mom sent me. Angela had some contractions at the store. Leah took her to the hospital to get checked out. Definitely in labor and Dr. Snow's on rez duty so Leah and Rosalie and my mom are taking her there. My mom says it'll be awhile yet if you need to hunt some more."

I was suddenly paralyzed.

I felt Bella's confidence in me, though, just as Edward deposited a deer at my feet. "Drink it," he told me. "You'll be able to think more clearly then."

"And you'll know that you can do it," Bella finished. "Whether it's the blood, or being Maisie's father, or loving Angela … you can do this. Trust yourself, Jasper."

She believed every word she said, I knew that. I also knew that she was saying exactly Alice and Esme would have said. That made a lot of difference.

I drank the deer.

Edward patted my back. "Hurry up. We want to meet our niece."

Seth shed his shorts again and escorted me onto tribal lands. We stopped at the edge of the tree line and he got dressed, again, so we could walk to the clinic without seeming suspicious to anyone who saw us.

Rachel ran out of her father's house as we passed, and Billy rolled down the wooden ramp just behind her. "They're walking on the beach," she said before Billy spoke to me. "Do you want to marry her before the baby comes? I got the papers from the courthouse today. We can do it now, if you want."

I nodded. "Yes, please."

"Paul," he called out, "go tell the rest of the Cullens they can come for this but then Leah and Embry's order stands. Seth, help me get down to the beach."

I didn't see Paul leave and I didn't stay to help Seth fake having trouble with the wheelchair. I followed Rachel to the beach instead.

Angela was sitting on a driftwood log, and she laughed when I rushed over and sat beside her. "It's going to be hours," she promised me. "It's not even very bad yet."

"You've got time for a wedding then?"

She gaped at me.

I pointed to where Seth was doing a very bad job of looking like he was struggling to push Billy's chair through the wet sand. "He got the papers today." I moved off the log and knelt in front of her. "I believe we live more than one life in a lifetime, even my lifetime. You are my life, you are this lifetime for me, Angela. Will you marry me?"

I wasn't totally sure if the tears running down her cheeks were from pain or happiness. At least I wasn't sure until she pulled me up and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Yes, Jasper," she whispered in my ear. "Yes, I will marry you. I'll be your life and your wife."

She held on to me through the next contraction.

My family, with Charlie and Sue in tow, had arrived by then and Seth positioned Billy in front of me and Angela. He spoke briefly about the meaning of marriage in the history of his tribe then moved on to the traditional vows. "By the power vested in me by the state of Washington, I know pronounce you husband and wife."

I kissed my bride before he told me to.

Rachel had the license on a clipboard and she gave it to Angela to sign first. When I took it and signed my name, it became ever more real when I saw what Angela had written for her legal name.

_Angela Hale_

We said goodbye to most everyone after that and walked to the clinic with Sue, Leah, and Rosalie. I waited outside the building with my sister. There were other patients, three of them, inside so I stayed in the trees until they left rather than risk anything. I really hoped they'd leave quickly.

"I'll stay out here," Rosalie told me while we waited. "You know, if you go in but need to come back out."

I nodded. "I should stay out here, though, shouldn't I?"

"Hell no," she exclaimed bluntly. "Hell no, you should be in there, that is. You won't hurt her. Do you know why?"

"I have theories but I'm sure they aren't the same as yours.

She gave me one of her classic, withering looks. I felt better for it. "You won't hurt her because you're not that much of an idiot. Not that you're selfish and just don't want to suffer but, in case I'm wrong, know that I will not help end your misery if you hurt her and I will not let anyone else help you either.

"You're also not enough of a coward to not go in there because something might happen.

"If I am wrong, you're not the man I thought you were."

A lot of people might have been put off by her little speech but I wasn't. I was motivated.

Motivated enough that when Leah came outside, I took a step toward her.

"The other three patients are gone," she told me. "The clinic is technically closed tonight except in the case of emergencies. If there are any, my mom will go to them and take care of it if she can. Angela's water just broke so Dr. Snow wants her to stay here because transition or something will happen soon. Are you coming in?"

I followed her inside, stopping just outside the room where Angela was. I had to do it, I had to go in. So I did.

And I felt her anxiety, that propelled me to her side. "It's okay, sugar," I murmured as she reached for me. "It's going to be okay. Right?"

Dr. Snow laughed when I directed the question to her. "Yes, it's going to be okay. Everything is moving along just as it should be. You both just need to relax and take deep breaths. There might be a time to get anxious and nervous, but this isn't it. Jasper, sit with her help her focus on staying calm. Pretend like Sue and I aren't in the room."

Angela scooted over a little in the bed, offering me a pitiful and apologetic look. Then she smiled when I sat beside her and held her hand.

I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed her flushed cheek.

I held her through the next few hours. I could have used my gift to help her, but I knew she wouldn't want that. In fact, I pretty much forgot about it after a few minutes. I just focused on her instead. I rubbed her back, I sat behind her and let my body temperature cool hers, I did whatever I sensed she wanted me to do.

When Dr. Snow checked Angela's progress and announced that she was dilated and ready to have the baby, I know I let off a flare of panic. Angela, my wife, was too distracted to notice but Leah appeared behind me. She'd been in charge of ice chips before, but she stood behind me.

Angela took a deep breath and bore down. She cried out sometimes as things progressed but she never screamed.

When Dr. Snow announced that she could see the baby's head, Leah clapped her hands over my face. She split the fingers on one hand so I could see there but she had complete control over me. "We told Snow you're very queasy about blood," she whispered as Angela concentrated.

I didn't respond. I made a mental note to thank her later. I hoped my wife wasn't hurting her hands with how hard she was squeezing my arms.

Thirty minutes later, Dr. Snow held up a small, pinkish colored human. "Meet your daughter," she said without a trace of anxiety in her emotional climate or her voice. She put Maisie on Angela's chest, and Leah moved her hands away from my face. "She's perfect, you two. Congratulations."

She may have said something else but I wasn't listening. I was staring at Maisie. So was Angela. We had her for a few minutes before Sue took her to be cleaned up. I moved a little away from Angela because I didn't really like the baby being so far away from us.

When Sue saw me watching her, she held up a pair of medical scissors. "There won't be blood," she whispered. "Do you want to cut the cord?"

I felt Leah move to stand behind me but I focused on Sue and on the baby. "I won't hurt her?"

She put the scissors in my hand and wrapped her fingers around mine. "I'll help you."

I used only as much pressure as she put on me to close the scissors. Then I stood back and watched as she expertly clamped what was left and swaddled Maisie in a blanket before slipping a pink hat on over her golden brown tufts of hair. Before I could blink, Sue put the bundled baby in my arms. "Take a minute with her," she told me, "and then take her to her mother."

I counted the beats of her heart, I listened to the air rushing through her lungs, and I felt the heat of her body in my arms. Then she opened her eyes. They were hazel green, just like her mother's.

Just like her mother, I never wanted to stop looking at her eyes.

I carried her to Angela, who held out her arms but kept me in place even as she cuddled her baby daughter. "She's our daughter, Jasper," she said softly. "We have a daughter."

There were so many strange things about the eight words she said. And I loved every one of them.

I turned Angela's face just long enough to kiss her and let her feel how I felt. She held Maisie up a little higher. I kissed her soft, warm forehead.

Dr. Snow interrupted gently to say that her shift was over but that Angela and Maisie were doing so well that there wasn't any reason Sue couldn't do anything else that might need to be done. She filled out the details of the birth on the birth certificate, signed her name, and told us we had seventy-two hours to pick a name, fill it out, and turn it in either to the county courthouse or back to her. She apparently thought that parents change their minds because she seemed surprised when Angela nudged me and I wrote out Maisie Catharine Hale, the very name we'd picked from the beginning. I signed my name and handed the paper to Angela. She didn't hesitate to sign Hale instead of Weber.

Sue, with Leah's help, finished cleaning up while Angela and I sat and stared at Maisie. She showed Angela how to breastfeed the baby. "You took classes, right?" she asked as the baby started to suck tentatively. "So you know how to burp her when she's finished?"

"Classes, videos, and books," Angela said. "I think I know. You're not going far away, are you?"

"Of course not, sweetie." She brushed the bangs back off Angela's forehead and smiled. "I'll be right out in the hallway with Leah. We'll give you some time alone as a family but you can call if you need me and I'll be right back. If you don't need me, I'll be back in twenty minutes or half an hour anyway and we can get you a shower if you want."

I was trying very hard not to panic about being left alone, and it had absolutely nothing to do with blood. "Thank you, Leah," I said to distract myself, "for the lie, standing behind me, and putting your hands over my face."

She winked and nodded. "I'll keep your sister outside until my mom comes back in."

Angela looked at me when the door closed behind the Clearwater women. "Do you like her?"

I blinked and tried to understand the worry and anxiety I felt from her. "Oh, sugar, I more than like her. I love her."

She caught her bottom lip in her teeth as her eyes filled with tears. "You do? You really love her?"

"Only one person I love more."

She was happy with that, ecstatic really. "I think maybe she's done. She stopped sucking. Should I call Sue or should you just try to burp her?"

"_Me_ try to burp her?"

She didn't hear it as a question, on purpose I think, given the smile she offered me when she held Maisie out toward me. "Good. You took that class and read the books and watched videos. You do it."

I took the baby and lifted her to my shoulder. I used as little force as I figured I could get away with and rubbed her back in slow circles. She gave a tiny burp after about a minute and I moved so that she was cradled in my arms.

"I didn't hear anything," Angela said as her hands made a motion to take Maisie back.

"I did, and I can hear better than you," I reminded her. "You gave her to me, I get to hold her for a few minutes."

She pouted but didn't protest, too much. "I have to have a turn before Sue comes back and makes me shower. You'll get to hold her then. Oh, since Rosalie's here, you can show her to Rose while I'm in the shower but I want to be there when Maisie meets everyone else, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." I gave the baby back to her, but sat on the edge of the bed so that I wasn't too far away.

Sue and Leah returned a few minutes after that and Angela reluctantly gave me the baby again. I kissed her before they helped her up. The shower was in a small bathroom down the hall, so I followed them out and was not at all surprised to see my sister standing by the back door of the clinic.

"Why are you all the way over there?" I asked. I knew she was nervous given how she'd acted about Nessie, but she didn't need to be. "Come here, Rosalie."

She didn't need to be told twice. "She's beautiful," she murmured as she looked over my shoulder at Maisie. "The doctor said she's healthy?"

"Perfect Apgar score."

"Angela's okay?"

"Mm-hmm. Dr. Snow left, after all. I think she's just tired. And annoyed that I get to hold Maisie while she has to take a shower."

Rosalie laughed and rubbed my back. "I can see you're hooked on the little one already. Were you okay in there? Leah didn't have to sit on you or anything?"

"She stood behind me when Angela was pushing, just in case, but it was fine. I smelled blood but, like you said, it was too insignificant to distract me into doing something cowardly and idiotic."

"I knew you could do it," she said with a smile. "Leah said Sue's going to let Angela spend the night here but that since it's so close to the Clearwaters' house, which borders the woods, the rest of our family is allowed to sneak into there and come here if you and Angela want that."

"All she said was that she wants to be there when everyone besides you meets Maisie so it's up to them, I suppose."

She kissed my cheek and brushed a finger over Maisie's forehead. "I'll go tell them that. Sounds like the water turned off so I imagine you'll have to give up the baby soon."

She was right.

Angela held out her arms the moment she emerged from the bathroom but Sue steered her back into bed first. Leah tucked a thick blanket over Angela and not so subtly shoved me toward the bed. I put Maisie in my wife's arms and settled onto the bed beside her.

Sue said she or Leah would be in the clinic all night, then switched off the lights and left us alone.

I'd lived through over sixty-thousand nights but the one spent with my wife and newborn daughter… it was one of the best ever.

* * *

**So… baby Maisie is born. Good, right? **

**Anyway, I'm not sure where this story is going from here. This may be the end. The end of chronological chapters anyway because I do have ideas about what could, should, would happen later on but I can't go through it step-by-step. So, if I do write more, it'll be as future-take things and I'll just add them to this story even if it is marked complete.**

**I've done this before… ended a story abruptly. I know. It's not something I'm totally happy about but this really is the logical, and tough, end of this story for me. So, please, if you think it was too abrupt or it should have been done differently… awesome, but I don't need to hear it. **

_**A thousand million thanks to the people who helped me with this; **__TheLyricalCutie, Emma Ro, TwistedInMasen, sweetypie15, and (most recently) Alix Aurelia – who helped me realize last night that sometimes it's best, and very much okay, to end this story now. _

_Thank you, all of you who read, reviewed, and cared for this story. It made me smile every day!_


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